A New Fellowship
by nnnnnnnancy
Summary: The granddaughter of Aragorn and Arwen embarks on a dangerous quest while forging new relationships, learning about herself, and experiencing happiness and heartbreak. She will discovery a new enemy with a terrible ability that will change her life. Starts off slow but will pick up, I promise! Please review, it's my first story and I would love feedback! Lots of OCs.
1. Chapter 1: ESCAPE

I traced my hand over the large wooden door. It was carved with depictions of the stories of the Fellowship of the Ring as told by my grandfather. He was my hero throughout my life, and now it was my turn to be his.

Eldarion, was the first born of Aragorn and Arwen, and was to inherit the kingdom of Gondor and sit upon the throne at Minas Tirith. He had a son, who he named Aragorn after his beloved father. The two of us had been raised together until my mother decided to relocate our family in the city of Pelargir to escape her brother with whom she often quarreled. My mother, Corrine, was the second child of my grandparents, and never accepted the idea of being under the reign of her brother one day. She had lived in Minas Tirith, married my father, Loren, and once I was sixteen years old, she moved us away from her brother, and unfortunately, from my favorite cousin.

From the time I was eight years old, I had been trained in sword mastery. By the time I was fourteen, my grandfather believed I could be one day be the best swordsman in Middle Earth. I worked hard to live up to his expectations and could see that he was pleased with my accomplishments. He was the only one I ever sought approval from. My whole childhood was filled with his tales of adventure and excitement. I could rehearse his whole journey from his meeting the hobbits at the Prancing Pony, to his crowning at Minas Tirith. My dreams were filled with the images his words created in my mind.

It was told to me repeatedly once I reached the age of eighteen, that I greatly resembled my grandmother when she was young. My dark hair was slightly wavy and my eyes were a steely grey, that turned an almost crystal blue color when I had any strong emotion. My ears had a slightly elvish point that wasn't as prominent as it was in my mother. I had gotten into the habit of hiding my ears behind my hair when I was young, as I would play with the other children in Minas Tirith who had pure human blood.

Aragorn, my cousin, had looked like his father the last time I had seen him before I left, though he had the blonde hair of his mother. At the time he had been nineteen years old, and already being groomed to become the King one day. I was the only one he confided in. He told me of his fears of being ruler and his annoyance that he was never allowed to go do the things he wanted to do. He learned swordsmanship and horse riding, though he was never allowed to venture out alone on a ride as my parents had allowed me to do. I found that I missed him nearly as much as I missed my grandparents once I was living in Pelargir. He had written to me once he was married four years later. I was overjoyed that he was able to find someone he loved, but grieved that I wasn't able to attend his marriage. I had been worried that I wouldn't see Aragorn again until he was King, but a few years later, my fears were put to rest.

I was twenty-four, still living with my parents, as I never attempted to find a decent husband, although my mother had. Late one night, a rider awoke my family in our house with an urgent letter from Eldarion. I heard the frenzy downstairs and wrapped a shawl around my nightgown, then ran down to my family. My mother was pacing the floor, staring at the letter in her hand.

"Father, what has happened?" I asked when my mother did not acknowledge my presence.

"A letter has arrived from Minas Tirith with grave news from your uncle."

"Mother, read the letter please." I begged

She finally looked up at me and sat in a large chair. "Sister, I have waited to tell you this, as we have waited a few weeks to be sure. Nearly a month ago, our parents set out together to a secret destination. I urged them to take a group of servants and swordsmen with them but they refused. They had told me that I should not worry and they would be back in two weeks. Once two weeks had passed I sent the most skilled trackers in the city to find them, even Bretaine could not find where they had gone. I have enlisted the help of a wizard Durendain, who knows people that may be able to help us. He has enlisted the help of hobbits, elves, and dwarves to aid us. Their task will be dangerous as we have no idea where they may need to go to find our parents and how dangerous it is there. I know you may not consent as it is very large risk, but I ask if Marielle would be willing to join this new Fellowship to find our parents. Your daughter may be the most gifted swordsman in Middle Earth and can be of great use to the party. I will understand if you refuse, as relations between us have not always been so warm, but I ask your family to consider my plea. The Fellowship will soon be assembled at Minas Tirith, and will leave in one week. I hope for your answer soon. Your brother, Eldarion."

The second my mother finished the reading I spoke, "I will go."

My parents stared at me for a moment before my mother spoke. "Marielle, it is too dangerous, and he said that they already have the help of many."

"If he had enough men, why would he write to you to enlist my help?"

"He had to inform us of your grandparents." My father said.

"I do not care. They are in danger, and if there is any way I can help, I will do it."

"You do not understand, there might be orcs, trolls, or other evil things out there that will kill you given the chance. You have never fought anyone when death was on the line…I will not allow you to join the Fellowship."

"Mother, your parents' lives are in danger, and you will not assist your brother in finding them?" I was becoming angry. No matter what she said, I would find a way to join the Fellowship.

"We will wait until the Fellowship has left Gondor, then we will go to Minas Tirith to stay with Eldarion until they are found." She folded her arms across her chest and I couldn't understand how she could be so emotionless about her parents.

"I am going back to bed, I hope your mind changes in the morning." I said and stomped out of the room. I felt like a foolish child and I waited outside the door a moment before climbing the stairs to my room. I sprawled out on my bed and finally tears escaped from my eyes. My grandparents were missing, and they were no longer young and strong. I feared that something could easily happen to hurt, or more likely kill them. I hadn't seen them in so long and had already been depressed by their absence before the arrival of the letter.

When I awoke, the tears had dried on my face and my eyes hurt. Servants came into my room and informed me that breakfast was to be served in a quarter hour. I dressed and washed my face. Before I left my room I traced my hand over the large wooden door. It was carved with depictions of the stories of the Fellowship of the Ring as told by my grandfather. He was my hero throughout my life, and now it was my turn to be his.

At breakfast I hardly spoke a word, and when I tried to persuade my mother, she silenced me on the subject. I began to plan in my mind an escape. I could make it to Minas Tirith in about two days if I went alone and paced my horse correctly. I would have to plan my escape perfectly to give me a head start, and ensure that the Fellowship would leave before my parents reached the city and stopped me from joining them. In the following days, I rode the horses in the stables to see which had the most stamina. I settled on a beautiful black and grey mare named Moonstone. Along with her stamina, her coat would work well to conceal me in the night. I would allow myself two nights of sleep and a few breaks to rest the horse and to eat and drink. I spent a lot of time getting Moonstone used to me and letting my mother believe I had abandoned my hope of joining the Fellowship.

Three days before I knew the Fellowship would leave, I was extra obedient to my parents, and once I had done everything asked of me, I sat with my mother, and embroidered a handkerchief with leafy designs.

"We are leaving for Minas Tirith in four days." She said without looking up from her work. "I had some pants and shirts made for you to be more comfortable on the journey there…they are in your room. I know you have worn dresses all your life, but I think you will find that these garments allow for more freedom and mobility."

I smiled to myself as I thought of how my mother had accidentally aided me in my plan. "Thank you."

I set down my needlework and poured myself some water. I brought my hand up to my head and groaned. It was getting late and I knew my mother would not be leaving the house until the next day.

"Are you feeling well Marielle?" She asked, worried.

"I feel a little queasy, I think I will retire early tonight."

She rested her hands in her lap and looked up affectionately at me. "I hope you feel better in the morning." She stood and approached me. "I love you." She smiled then embraced me. I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her. The thought finally entered my mind that this could very well be the last time I would see her. I knew that there was a good chance harm could come to me on the journey.

"I love you mother." I had to fight back a tear that threatened to escape and she finally released me.

"Goodnight Marielle." She kissed my forehead and I smiled at her before leaving for my room.

Once in the privacy of my room I examined my new clothing. I put on the light grey pants along with a grayish blue shirt. It felt strange to wear something that clung to my legs and didn't move around when I did. In the back of my wardrobe I found a dark green cloak that my grandfather had brought with him on one of his monthly visits to Pelargir. He claimed that he had obtained it from Galadriel, the grandmother of my grandmother. I wrapped it around my shoulders and secured the brooch in the front. The rest of the new clothes I placed in a bag along with my favorite two dresses. In order to avoid suspicion, I used only the blankets in my room, rolling them up and securing them with some thin rope. I made sure to place anything else that would be necessary in the bag, including some food I had just snuck into my room.

As the sun began to set, I took out a length of rope from underneath my bed and tied it to my solid bedpost. With my bag securely slung over my shoulder I climbed down from my window and quickly made my way to the stables. Moonstone whinnied when I approached and I had to quiet her. I had already put her saddle on just before supper. I filled two feeding bags full of oats, drew them closed, and attached them to the saddle along with my bag. I took my sheathed sword that I had hid earlier out from behind a barrel, and secured the belt around waist. I patted Moonstone's neck, "Are you ready?" She nuzzled her face into my neck and I chuckled. "All right, girl. Let's go." The sun had gone down and I led her out of the stables, making sure to go around the back to not be seen from the house. I made my way through the city and was let out at the Eastern gates. Once outside I nudged her into a gallop and we raced toward Minas Tirith. The wind blew my cloak out behind me and rushed past my ears.

My face began to get cold and as we crested a hill I slowed Moonstone to a stop. I reached into my bag and tied a scarf around my head, leaving only my eyes and nose revealed.

We began to run again, I wanted to cover a lot of distance before we had to rest, and the sunlight would heat Moonstone's coat quickly and tire her out. I stuck to the AnduinRiver, riding northeast, knowing it would lead me straight to Minas Tirith. We stopped once for an hour near a stream and Moonstone drank. After the rest we pushed on, putting distance between ourselves and Pelargir. As the first light of day shone in the East, I could see the White Mountains where Minas Tirith was concealed. There was a small cluster of trees with denser foliage, and I guided Moonstone underneath them. I tied her to a tree, and tied the sack of oats around her head, and climbed to the top of a hill that gave me a perfect view of the valley. I took out my brush and untangled my hair, then tied it back with some ribbon. This gave me new energy and after a few hours of rest I set out again at a slower pace. I had removed my cloak and spread it over Moonstone's rear to provide some protection from the sun. I made sure our pace didn't tire her out so we wouldn't have to use one more break than anticipated. At noon I found another tree and tied her there and used the oat sack that I had filled with water to quench her. We stayed there for some time, waiting for the intense heat of day to be replaced by the cool evening. About an hour before the sunset, I continued on, scouting for somewhere that would provide a decent shelter for the night. An outcrop seemed to be the best option and I prepared to sleep. I made a small fire just outside of an overhanging rock, and laid out a blanket underneath it. I let Moonstone drink again, and then secured her close by. That night I found it difficult to sleep, as I anticipated seeing my cousin again and meeting the Fellowship.

Even the few hours I was able to sleep seemed plenty for me, and I energetically prepared to ride out, feeding Moonstone her second bag of oats. I brought Moonstone to a canter once we set out again, as I knew the Erui River was just ahead. We rested a short while there, then a ferry took us across to the other side. We rode on through the day until noon, when we rested again. Once we where again energized, we rode out, a bit quicker than before. Not long after, we followed the bend of the Anduin past Harlond, the port of Minas Tirith. As we approached the southern edge of the city I slowed Moonstone to a trot and we skirted along the edge, beholding the magnificence of the gleaming city. My heart leaped as I thought of seeing my cousin again. It had been eight years; he was now twenty-seven. As I rounded the front of the city some servants had come to take my horse to the stables.

"My name is Marielle Aetherian, I am the granddaughter of King Ellesar."

A servant bowed and gestured for me to dismount. I did as instructed and took back my cloak. A carriage pulled up beside us and servants unloaded my things from Moonstone and placed them in the carriage. Then they took my mare to the stables to be cared for. I stepped into the roofed carriage and wrapped my cloak around my shoulders again. I removed the ribbon from my hair and brushed it out. I wanted to change into a dress before meeting anyone but knew I would need the help of a servant to lace it up.

Through a window I saw various markets and crowded areas. I watched the people going about their daily activities and missed being a part of this city. When the carriage finally reached the Hall of Isildur I stepped out of the carriage and was led into the building.

"The Fellowship is in a meeting, Aragorn will want you in there immediately." The servant informed me.

I nodded and my heart raced. The Fellowship was right through the door, along with my cousin. I would finally meet hobbits, dwarves, and elves. The door was opened for me and I walked into the great hall.

**I know this was kind of short, but the chapters will most likely be a little bit longer in the future if I get a good response. Please let me know what you think! This is my first fanfic and I am pretty new to all of this so your review would totally help. :) Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2: THE FELLOWSHIP

Eight pairs of eyes were suddenly drawn to me. I pushed the hood of my cloak back and Aragorn stood.

He wasn't much changed since I had seen him last and a smile spread across my face. He had a look of disbelief on his and he asked, "Marielle?"

"Aragorn." I replied, answering his question with a grin.

"I can't believe you are here, we thought it was too late to hope for your arrival." He moved from the head of the table and walked around to greet me.

"My parents most likely realized I was gone just yesterday and are no doubt in hot pursuit. I left in secret two nights ago and made haste here." I smiled sheepishly.

"I am not surprised by this, as you have always been eager for adventure…You have grown from a girl into a beautiful woman, cousin." He hugged me and I wrapped my arms around him.

"I am so glad to see you again Aragorn."

A deep voice spoke, "So you have come to join our Fellowship."

Aragorn steeped away from me and I looked to see a very tall man with a wide brimmed hat. He looked up and I could just see his weathered face. He sat in the corner, overlooking the Fellowship, staff in hand. His cloak was a deep shade of blue that provided a drastic comparison for his snow-white beard.

"Yes, and it was no easy task to do it."

"Then welcome Marielle, I am Durendain, the wizard." I curtsied, an act that felt strange without a dress. "I should introduce you to the rest of the Fellowship."

He gestured to a pair of hobbits that sat near to where I stood. "Tuck and Droigo Baggins of the Shire, the only children of Frodo Baggins."

My eyes widened and I couldn't believe that the sons of the hobbit to throw the One Ring into the fires of MountDoom were before me. The first one, Tuck, appeared to be shy and looked the way my father described Frodo. He had dark hair, piercing blue eyes and sharp features. His brother, Droigo looked very similar to him, but his nose was rounder and slightly larger than average. Droigo appeared confident and smiled a crooked grin in my direction. I was astonished; my grandfather had told me that Frodo had sailed to the undying lands after helping to orchestrate the uprising of the shire against the enemy. I made a mental note to ask Durendain how they were found when most didn't know they existed.

Durendain's commanding voice interrupted my thoughts as he moved on to the next member, "Bretaine, granddaughter of Lord Faramir and Lady Eowyn." She stood and curtsied to me while she smiled. Bretaine had been a friend of mine when I lived in Minas Tirith, as she was the granddaughter of the Steward to the King. Her strawberry blonde hair was braided down her back and her green eyes seemed to sparkle. She was very beautiful, and known to be the best tracker, even better than the elves, of Middle Earth. "Melraas of Rohan." A man with dark hair stood and bowed. He was not the son of nobility, but I knew he would be the most skilled horseman among us. "Gimli, son of Gloin." My heart seemed to skip a beat as I looked upon the red haired dwarf. He smiled warmly, his ruddy cheeks nearly concealing his eyes. I realized that he looked exactly like what I had imagined when my grandfather told me of him. Just as I looked to the elf seated beside him I made the connection. "Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thranduil." He stood and bowed as Durendain announced him. His grey eyes were enchanting and his countenance calm. I was speechless as I beheld the elf prince, and amazed that this famous duo had consented to join the fellowship.

"This is Marielle Aetherian, granddaughter of the King of Gondor." He now addressed the rest of the party. "She is said to be the best swordsman in Middle Earth."

"Shouldn't you say swords-woman?" Melraas asked.

"Nay," the wizard replied, "For her skill surpasses even the best men, swords-woman implies that she is only the best of her sex."

I blushed under the attention I received, "I do not claim to be the best, as I have not had real experience in the world."

Aragorn stepped in to counter me. "At fifteen she could beat our grandfather in a duel."

"But he was not as young and strong as he used to be."

"And you were not as strong and skilled as you are now."

I laughed, "Well I guess we will see when the time comes for my skill to be truly tested."

"Come, join the table, we have important things to discuss tonight, for tomorrow we leave Minas Tirith." Durendain announced.

I took a seat beside Tuck as Aragorn returned to the head of the table.

"You will go north. My father was suspicious when my grandparents left and sent a man to watch where they were going. He followed them until they disappeared into Mirkwood, as he was not skilled enough to track them. Bretaine has already tracked their path through the forest and found that they left the forest at the East Bight." He gestured for hear to elaborate.

"Once they left the forest, they headed northeast, and once I reached the River Running, I could find no sign of where they might have reached the other side. They may have taken the river down to where it meets The Celduin, and then crossed, but I found no sign of their horses, and no ferry that could have taken them. In order to find them, we must have a more extensive, prolonged search. I fear that there may be evil awaiting us on the other side. If we find no trail to follow, we will have to follow the general direction they had been taking before and hope to stumble across something helpful to us."

I understood from the look in Bretaine's eyes that she believed we would be reduced to the second plan. Again I began to fear for the lives of my grandparents. Perhaps an unknown monster dwelt in the River Running, and was the cause of my grandparents' fate.

"Along with the eight of you, there will be some soldiers to assist with the transportation of food and equipment, and to aid in any attacks you may encounter. I have selected four of my strongest men to go." Aragorn said. I counted the members in the Fellowship and finally realized that Aragorn would stay behind. He had a wife and a child, who I still had not met. He could not leave them.

"We leave at dawn," Durendain stood as he spoke. "I suggest you all retire as soon as you have finished your supper, we will all be ready to leave promptly at dawn...no exceptions." He looked everyone in the eye.

Once the Fellowship was dismissed we were lead to the dining hall. A feast had been prepared and everyone took their seats. I was guided by Aragorn to a seat beside his wife Gwestiel. Throughout the meal I conversed with her and she told me about their child, Marian. I was excited to meet my second cousin, who would be like a niece to me, and she promised to bring her to my room after dinner.

To my left was seated Legolas, but I was too intimidated to start a conversation with him. When he turned to me and finally spoke to me I nearly choked on my chicken. He looked concerned and once I composed myself, I turned to face him.

"Are you all right?" His voice was soft and melodic. I was unused to elves, though I had deep roots in the race. His beauty far surpassed that of any human male I had ever seen.

"Yes, thank you." I wondered if he could sense the stress in my voice.

"I am personally grieved by the news of your grandparents, when Durendain found Gimli and me we were very surprised. We had not expected anyone to ever find us. But once he told me what had passed, we immediately agreed to return to Middle Earth to help in any way we could."

"I know that my uncle is indeed grateful, as am I." I had a hard time choosing my words. "It seems that the two of you are the best suited here to find them, since you knew my grandfather so well."

He smiled, "Yes, though for an elf, the time I spent with him was rather short in perspective, it was perhaps the most memorable journey of my life."

I wondered what it would be like to hear the tales of my grandfather as told by Legolas or Gimli. Perhaps my grandfather's memory wasn't as perfect as that of an elf.

Throughout the dinner I conversed with Droigo, who was seated across from me, and Bretaine, who sat by his side. After dinner, I lingered a short while in the hall to speak more personally with Bretaine. She was so mature, and she was so different than when we were in our teen years.

When I was ready, Aragorn showed me to my bedchamber. It had a balcony with a beautiful view of the Pelennor Fields. Before I could get settled, a soft knock was heard at the door and Aragorn opened it to his family. A little girl with beautiful golden ringlets shyly stepped into the room.

"Hello Marian," I said softly and knelt down to her height.

"This is your Aunt Marielle." Aragorn told his daughter, not wanting to explain what a second cousin was.

She looked up at her father, and after a reassuring nod she ran to me and jumped into my arms. I laughed as I hugged the small child. She kissed my cheek and sat on my knees. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and intelligence. She was smart and spoke as if she was years older. Before long, Aragorn made his family leave, as I had to get plenty of sleep. I reluctantly let them go and watched as the door closed.

I wandered around the room, inspecting the books that were placed in random locations, and finally prepared for bed. I removed my clothing and donned a nightgown, then slipped under the covers of my bed. In a normal situation, sleep would have easily found me in the downy bed. But my thoughts ran wild and I could not escape consciousness. I left the bed and found a shawl, which I wrapped around myself before walking out onto the balcony. The air was pleasantly warm and I sat on a small chaise. The stars shone brightly and I studied them. My father had taught me a bit about astrology when I was younger. I thought about the journey that lay ahead, wondering if it would be as dangerous as my mother had suggested.

"You look just like Arwen."

I was startled from my reverie to find Legolas standing on the balcony beside mine, studying me.

I forced a chuckle, "I have been told that many times."

He looked out over the plains as he spoke. "Lady Arwen was very beautiful, the resemblance of Luthien Tinuviel...it seems that that trait has now passed to you."

I blushed as I thought of his meaning, and tried to change the topic. "My grandfather has told me many things about you."

"He most likely exaggerated a good deal of it." He laughed.

I saw my opportunity and took it. "Why don't you tell me your own accounts and I will see if he has exaggerated or not."

He looked back at me. "I would, but you are supposed to rest...tomorrow will be very stressful."

"I could not sleep if I tried."

"Very well then," he used his arms to push him up onto the wall of his balcony, and he gracefully leapt to mine. I held my breath as he crossed the gap, with a long plunge below. He chuckled when I finally exhaled, and sat on the wall, leaning against the building. He bent one leg up, and let the other swing freely. "What would you like to know?"

I thought for a moment and answered, "The Mines of Moria."

He launched into a full description of the adventure, and others I requested, including great detail that my grandfather had failed to provide. I was fascinated by his storytelling. His voice made the stories even better, and his words painted vivid images in my mind. My heart raced when he described ambushes and battles. I felt the excitement he so perfectly described. Many of his stories included humorous accounts of Gimli, and I knew I would have to hear the same stories from him.

As the night drew on I felt myself growing tired. Legolas immediately noticed and urged me to get some rest. After a feeble attempt to persuade him to continue, I finally gave in and said goodnight. He leaped back over to his own balcony and disappeared into his room. It was easy to fall asleep, and I had wonderful dreams that night, untainted by worry for my grandparents.

A servant woke me from my sleep about an hour before dawn, and I groggily prepared myself. I bathed and dressed and was escorted to the upper stables of the city. I was allowed to keep my horse, as Melraas approved her for the journey. After saying a farewell to my cousin, his family, and the King, I, along with the Fellowship began our walk through the city. The citizens waved and cheered us on as we descended to the lower levels. Some threw roses and other flowers and I was amazed. The city must have loved my grandparents dearly, and wished for their return. I wore a light green dress since our ride would not be as rushed as mine had been from Pelaragir to Minas Tirith. We rode northward with Bretaine and Durendain leading the group. Just behind were Melraas, Gimli, and Legolas. I rode alongside the hobbits on their ponies, and the servants took up the rear. The ride was very pleasant, and not at all stressful. The wind played in my hair, and I enjoyed the sensation. I occasionally spoke to the hobbits who seemed a little stressed. They were hobbits after all, and not the type to go on adventures. Droigo seemed more comfortable than Tuck, however, who gripped the reigns tightly, though we moved at a casual pace.

We only took one break in the day, and then pushed on at the same speed as before until the sun began to descend behind the White Mountains. Durendain approved a location and we set up our camp. A fire was made and a few small tents were set up. The group was split into twos; the hobbits, Legolas and Gimli, Durendain and Melraas, Bretaine and myself. Each pair had a tent to share, and the soldiers would sleep around the fire, alternating watch.

Before retiring, I pulled Durendain aside and spoke to him privately. "I have been told by my grandfather that Frodo never had children...How did you find the two of them?"

He puffed on his pipe a moment before answering. "When Eldarion enlisted my help, I went to the Shire to find the hobbits that had been a part of the original Fellowship. I spoke to Samwise Gamgee, who was Frodo's closest friend, and told him of the development. He was grieved to hear the news and even offered to accompany us himself. But he was growing old and too frail for a trip of this sort, so I refused to take him along with me. He divulged a secret to me that he had kept well for so many years about his friend Frodo. When Frodo returned to the Shire after the War of the Ring, he met a lovely hobbit lass, named Daisy Bumbleroot. They secretly married, and she became pregnant with twins, clearly not identical. Frodo was unaware that she was with child-or rather, children-and decided he could not stay in the Shire. His memories plagued him and he was always troubled. He could never find peace and did not want poor Daisy to have to endure this. Once she gave birth, Sam provided her with money to sustain her family. Daisy recently passed away, leaving her children alone, who have just recently become adult hobbits. Sam knew that the offspring of Frodo would be the best to take on a journey, for they must have inherited some of his strong will. I paid them a visit, and they were all too eager to leave the Shire. Poor fellows, I think they regret that decision now."

I chuckled, "I believe so."

"Get some sleep young one. We have another long day ahead of us."

I said goodnight and retired to my tent. Bretaine was still awake and near the campfire so I was left alone with my thoughts. I hoped the long days of riding with no other diversions wouldn't last long. I did not know exactly how far it was to Mirkwood, but I was intrigued by the ancient forest. It was full of mystery and secrets. If we passed through, we would no doubt find plenty of adventure. I slept dreamlessly and was awaken by the noise of others in the morning.

Bretaine was still asleep so I woke her. We both got ready for the day and exited the tent to find breakfast awaiting us at the fire. The hobbits had cooked and I was not surprised. Hobbits were known for their love of food. They seemed happy to do it; since it was the only thing so far they could do better than the others. The soldiers, aided by Legolas took down the tents and packed them onto the horses. Melraas tended to the horses and made sure each was ready for the day. Once the entire camp had been packed, each horse approved, and the fire properly extinguished, we rode north.


	3. Chapter 3: MIRKWOOD

It was difficult to adjust to the constant travelling in the day, and uncomfortable sleeping at night.

We travelled for almost two weeks in the same direction, going off course once to avoid the Dead Marshes, and then crossing the Brown Lands of Rhovanion. The sun shone down hotter there, making our journey more uncomfortable. I chose to wear my lighter dress during the days crossing the ruined lands. I wondered how the men could bear to wear layers of coarse fabric and leather in such heat, and was surprised at how well the horses bore their burdens and continued on.

Nights were colder in the Brown Lands than they were earlier in the journey. Though the tents were set up to have less room inside so that the body heat of the occupants would better warm them, the blankets I had never seemed to keep me sufficiently warm to get enough rest.

We met no resistance during the journey through the Brown Lands, though I would have preferred better climate and some encounters with orcs or trolls. It was unbearably boring to travel while looking at dead grass and shriveled bushes with dead roots clinging to dried out soil.

Eventually we began to notice the temperature start to drop in the day, and it become easier to sleep at night. Melraas informed us when we officially left the Brown Lands and I mentally sighed. That night Durendain gave us an estimate of a two day journey to reach the edges of Mirkwood. I awaited our arrival at Mirkwood with great anticipation. For me it promised excitement and adventure, a change from the tired scenery.

The next day of travel was easier on everyone and the journey was more pleasant. At the campfire that night I sat with Legolas and Gimli to hear some of their stories from after the War of the Ring. Occasionally they would interrupt the other to correct something or add details they felt were missing, Gimli more often than Legolas. I was fascinated by there tales of travelling by sea to lands I knew nothing about. I could see the nature of their friendship and it warmed my heart. Complete opposites that despised each other upon first encounter now had the strongest friendship I had ever seen. They made me laugh more than I had in years. There was never anything to laugh about when I lived in Pelargir and it felt good to finally experience it again.

I started to form friendships that I hoped would last like they had for my grandfather after the original Fellowship.

My friendship with Bretaine was rekindled and I looked over at her. She was sitting with Melraas, discussing something I could not hear, but the shy smile on her face was very visible to me. I noticed that Melraas returned her smile with something similar but a bit more confident, confirming to me the attraction they felt to one another.

Tuck and Droigo sat before Durendain listening to whatever he said with gleaming eyes and a look of wonder apparent on their faces. Once in a while the wizard would laugh and the smoke from his pipe would come out his mouth in little successive puffs.

Gimli regained my attention by mentioning a sea monster that attacked their ship while sailing and I became completely engrossed in their stories once again.

Not long into the tale Durendain called across the fire. "Gimli!"

He stopped talking mid-sentence, mouth hanging open.

"Droigo has some questions for you, would you oblige him?"

Droigo grinned at him expectantly from where he sat and Gimli could not refuse.

"Of course!" He stood, with some effort, and apologized to me for having to leave mid-story.

"Don't worry; I'm sure Legolas would be more than happy to complete it."

Legolas just smiled in response and Gimli joined the hobbits. He finished the story, happy to be able to tell it without interruptions.

Once I began to feel drowsy I told Legolas I was going to retire. He stood up and walked me toward my tent. He had a look of concern on his face as he spoke to me. "Marielle, I want to warn you…My people have occasionally found orcs still scattered in the forest. I want you to be prepared in the event something happens."

"Thank you for your warning Legolas." I smiled.

We reached my tent and he bowed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I replied.

As I fell asleep I heard singing from the campfire. I knew it had to be Legolas because the sound was so beautiful it could only have come from an elf. The melody helped me to slip into a comfortable, dreamless sleep.

I woke up before the rest of the camp and decided to take a stroll in the cool morning air. I hadn't been walking three minutes before I heard bare feet pattering toward me. I turned to see Tuck attempting to catch up with me and slowed to make it an easier task for him.

"Good morning Lady Marielle." He grinned up at me.

"It is indeed Mr. Baggins." I continued to walk with him at my side.

"Do you think we will find orcs in the forest?" He asked.

I pondered a moment, "I hope so…I have never encountered any of the enemy races…I would like to put my skills to the test against a real enemy."

A look of horror crossed his face and he swallowed hard. "I should _not_ like to encounter any of the enemy races."

"Why not?"

"I don't think I would fare so well against them…After all, I am only a hobbit."

"Nonsense!" I cried, "It was precisely because he was a hobbit that your father survived many encounters himself. Hobbits can be some of the bravest people of all."

He smiled at how I spoke of his father, but his mouth fell into another frown. "But I cannot fight. I have barely even held my sword."

"Would you like me to teach you how to fight?" I smiled down at him.

Tuck's eyes lit up. "Though I hope I shall never have to use it, to learn swordsmanship from you would be marvelous!"

"We should probably start as soon as possible. You wouldn't want to be caught unprepared if we were to happen across any orcs in Mirkwood…What kind of weapon do you have?"

"An elven knife…much like the one Bilbo passed on to my father."

"It glows when there are orcs nearby?"

"That's what Durendain tells me."

"Good."

We began a return walk to the camp. "I haven't named it yet."

"Really? Well I bet by the end of a battle you will be able to call it Orch-dagnir."

"What does that mean? Is it elvish?"

"Yes," I knew a little of the Sindarin language from my grandparents. "It means orc's bane or orc slayer."

He beamed at me then looked to the sheathed sword hanging from my belt. "What is your sword called?"

I smiled warmly at the memory of my grandfather gifting it to me on my eighteenth birthday. It was specially forged for me by the dwarves of Erebor. "It is called Celebdin, Silent Silver. It was a gift from my grandfather…he was the one who named it." I slid it partway out of its sheath so Tuck could see.

His eyes seemed to gleam as he beheld it.

"The blade is mostly made of mithril with a steel center for added weight."

"Mithril!"

I laughed, "Yes."

"I have never seen it until now." He said. "It's beautiful."

"It is my most prized possession."

"There you two are!" Droigo came skipping out of the camp toward us. "Breakfast is on!"

We joined the others to eat, and then I took Tuck about fifty meters from the camp to begin his training while the others prepared for us to leave.

"Let's see Orch-dagnir."

"Well all right." He said as he gripped the handle of his knife. He quickly slid the sword from the sheath, slicing the air directly in front of me.

I reflexively jumped back out of the way. "Whoa Tuck! You're not trying to kill me."

"Sorry!" He dropped the point of the sword to the ground.

"It's fine, just relax for now."

He nodded and I began to teach him the basics. He first learned how to properly hold his weapon, held out directly in front of his middle, pointed at the head of his enemy. He kept his elbows in to protect his organs and ribs. I taught him to breathe correctly so he could focus on the enemy's and his own attacks. I also taught him different stances and to shift his weight whenever he swung his sword or defended an attack to maintain his balance and avoid being knocked over easily. Since he would most likely not be stronger than any of his opponents, I taught him to rely on his speed and agility while attacking.

Tuck seemed to be catching on very well when someone called to us to inform us that we would be leaving very soon.

"You have done very well." I told him.

"Have I really?" His face lit up.

"Yes…We will have to continue once we reach the forest.

He grinned as he sheathed his knife.

The camp had been packed up and the entire fellowship was ready to leave. We mounted our horses and rode north once again. The ride was pleasant as I daydreamed about the forest and what it could be like. This time as we rode, Tuck was to my left and Legolas to the right. Tuck continued to claim my attention with his excited talk of learning sword mastery, and occasionally Legolas would tell me about Mirkwood.

The forest was soon visible on the horizon and it was hard not to break away from the group to reach it faster.

When at last we reached the edge of the great forest, Legolas and Bretaine took the lead, Durendain and Melraas took the sides, and Gimli and I took the rear. The hobbits and soldiers remained protected in the middle of the group with the extra horses. Once it began to get dark, we set up the camp.

"So we've made it at last." I said to Legolas.

He placed his hands on his hips and looked around at the trees. "Yes we have…but I don't believe we should remain here long. We should move through as quickly as possible."

"Lady Marielle!" Tuck bounded up to me with a grin on his face. "Melraas has set up a ring of torches so we will have enough light if we wish to continue training."

"Perfect, I'll join you in a moment." I replied.

Tuck skipped off toward the makeshift arena and I chuckled.

"You're teaching him to fight?" Legolas asked.

"Yes, I thought he would be much less anxious on the journey if he has the means to defend himself during an attack. And he's a very quick learner."

"Good, I don't feel that we are safe…I feel like we are being watched." He scanned the darkening forest as he spoke.

I glanced around at the trees and shrubs, wondering what dangers might be lurking nearby. "I hope that if you are correct, we are prepared for anything that might come at us."

"So do I, I have been helping Bretaine increase her archery skills since she prefers the bow to the sword. I believe Droigo needs some preparation though, he has a knife for a weapon like Tuck…Perhaps he could train alongside his brother under your instruction?" He suggested.

"Of course. Then they will be able to practice their skills together when I am not available. I only hope he is as good a pupil as Tuck."

Legolas chuckled and nodded his head toward Tuck who was hopping around his arena with his knife out, mimicking a battle. "You should probably go to him before he gets too excited and hurts himself. I will get Droigo and send him to you."

"Thank you Legolas." I curtsied in response to his bow and joined Tuck. "Do you mind if I teach your brother as well?"

He frowned slightly, and then covered it up with a reassuring smile. "Of course not my Lady, he needs the training as much as I do."

"Good, you two might even be able to help each other improve. And I want you to be an example to him. You are well disciplined and it might do him good to see how he should act. I am not so sure he will be as wonderful of a student as you are."

Tuck beamed at the compliment, stood up straight, and puffed out his chest. "I would be happy to."

Droigo strolled into our arena much like I expected him to. "Good evenin' Marielle! Legolas told me you'd be teaching me to fight."

"Yes, I see you've brought your knife."

He nodded with a grin and rested his hand on the handle of the knife.

"All right, you will first learn how to stand and move properly during a fight. Your brother has already worked hard at this skill so I want you to watch carefully as he demonstrates."

I commanded Tuck to take different stances and to show how he would shift his weight according to his movements. Droigo began to mimic his brother's movements as he watched him.

"Be sure to breathe properly, in through your nose, out of your mouth. If you don't breathe right, your mind can't stay concentrated on your opponent."

Droigo learned almost as quickly as his brother had and I was very pleased. I soon had him practicing the lunges that would utilize his size and agility. I taught them both to be patient and to analyze their opponents' movements. Since they were not strong enough to block an attack from an orc or goblin without dropping their swords or falling over, I taught them how to anticipate the enemies' next moves and dodge them.

They had worked hard until Durendain called me into Bretaine's tent.

"Good work. We are done for tonight. The next time we set up camp I will work with you some more."

They bowed and ran off to their tent.

Inside the tent, a map of Middle Earth was spread out on the ground. I joined Bretaine, Legolas, and the wizard on the floor where they sat around it.

"Now that you are here I want to go over the plan." Bretaine began drawing an imaginary line on the map as she spoke. "We are right about here. We need to move directly northeast through the forest as quickly as possible, this place can be very dangerous. We'll reach the East Bight going in that direction, then head straight to the River Running where I lost track of your grandparents. Like I said before we left, we will search the banks of the river for any sign of them before we just head in the same direction in hope of finding something."

"Legolas, how long do you think it will take our group to move through to the East Bight if we travel the way have been these past weeks?" Durendain asked.

"About five or six days." He answered.

"Good, we must move through as quickly as possible; I fear we will not go without meeting opposition in this forest."

"I too feel uneasy here." Bretaine stated. "When last I came through, I felt that I was being watched."

"Some orcs still remain in the forest," Legolas said, "If we encounter any they will most likely be in a small group, and my people are too far north to hope for any aid from them should we encounter any."

"Then we must make sure everyone is prepared for anything." Durendain said. "Legolas, you will continue to teach Bretaine with the bow, while you," Durendain looked from Legolas to me, "work with the hobbits."

I nodded in agreement.

"Right." The wizard grunted and stood, then crouched to avoid knocking down the tent. "We have our plan, let us all eat and get some rest before we continue our journey."

The meeting was dismissed and we joined the rest of the group around the fire where a stew was being cooked. The assembly was much merrier than it had been on the nights we braved the Brown Lands. In the forest we did not have to remain in the open, lacking any overhead cover the way we did in the valleys. The climate was more comfortable and the temperature did not vary much from day to night.

I could see that Tuck forgot his fears he previously had about running into trouble. I attributed it to his confidence in his skill, though he had only had two lessons on sword mastery.

Legolas, Bretaine, and Durendain seemed a bit uneasy about things we had discussed in the tent, but I could not share their worries. I welcomed the challenge of a few orcs; surely our group of highly-skilled individuals could handle anything we might face in the forest. I only hoped I would have a few more days before anything occurred to give the hobbits more instruction in case none of us could protect them in a fight.

The following days were all very similar, as soon as I woke up; the hobbits would drag me out to an area to instruct them while Legolas and Bretaine trained. The party would eat breakfast, and travel for most of the day, making occasional stops to recover the horses. Once we settled in for the night, Tuck and Droigo would allow me only a short half an hour alone or with someone else before they insisted I join them in a new arena. We would eat, sleep, and the process would start over again.

I was very happy with the progress the brothers made. If they ever had time to themselves they would practice together instead of socializing with the group. They were much better than I expected them to be and Durendain seemed very pleased.

In some of my free time I tried to get to know Melraas. He was the only one of the group, beside the soldiers I hadn't spoken to very much. He came from Rohan, and a family of no royal significance. But as a boy he had displayed his affinity for horses and riding skill. He knew everything there was to know about horses and fascinated me with his knowledge and stories. He was a proficient fighter, preferring to use a spear while atop a horse, but learned in the way of the sword. When Durendain went to Rohan to ask for volunteers to join the search party, he had been the only one; the rest of the skilled men had responsibilities to wives, children, and parents. His parents had encouraged him to go, to try to bring honor to their family name.

His personality was very charming and confident, and to me he seemed well suited to Bretaine's character. If ever I mentioned Bretaine he smiled, and then quickly attempted to conceal it, but I could not be fooled. I wondered if anything could ever come of their attachment to each other. She came from a line of royalty in both Rohan and Gondor, while he was insignificant to the people. I sincerely hoped that we would be successful in our quest so he could indeed bring honor to his name and be seen fit to marry her.

The rest of my time I spent with the others equally, learning more about Legolas or Gimli, conversing with Durendain, or talking to Bretaine about our home city.

One regret I had about leaving for Minas Tirith so late was that I was only able to spend a day in the city I had dearly missed for years. I constantly thought about what would happen when we returned and how my parents would punish me. Perhaps they would forgive me if I succeeded in recovering my grandparents and returning home safely. But one thing I was sure about was that I would never live anywhere but Minas Tirith again. I would spend every day in the company of my beloved cousin and grandparents.

Legolas' prediction was right and we reached the East Bight in six days. The area was almost a meadow carved out of the forest by the Northmen of old. The only trees that grew there were saplings, the beginnings of the regrowth of that section of the forest.

The hobbits were delighted by this large open area and the whole group dismounted to walk so they could feel the grass on their feet instead of a stirrup.

The romp through the field made everyone happy and temporarily forget the trials we faced. The heat from the sun felt pleasant after being in the dark, cool forest and we enjoyed the moment of ease and pleasure.

After a while of walking we once again mounted the horses to make it through the bight and out into the valley. Halfway through we rested and lunched, then resumed the ride. Toward the end of the day we reached the northeastern edge of the Bight where there was a peninsula of forest. The horses all slowed and became uneasy, stamping at the ground, and one even threatening to throw Bretaine, who was in the lead, off her saddle. She tried to calm the horse when unholy cries were heard from the cluster of trees ahead.

Legolas peered into the trees ahead, and then in one flawless motion shot an arrow into the forest. A piercing scream was heard followed by more cries and howling from other creatures.


	4. Chapter 4: ORCS

"Orcs!" Legolas nimbly leapt from his horse to the ground and positioned another arrow on the bowstring.

Those of us who were skilled at fighting quickly dismounted and I handed Moonstone's reigns to Tuck. "You two hold the horses and stay put." I instructed the hobbits.

"We can help!" Tuck cried.

"You can help by holding the horses and staying out of what's about to happen." I saw pure disappointment in his eyes and I knew he truly believed he was ready to face an enemy. "Trust me."

He nodded and gripped the leather straps in his hands. The two hobbits rode up alongside the horses without riders and took hold of their reigns. A few soldiers did the same and the other two dismounted and drew their swords.

I threw off my cloak and ran to the others, grateful I decided to wear pants and a tunic instead of a dress.

The grayish-green creatures came running from the tree line straight for us. I unsheathed Celebdin and prepared for my true test of skill.

One orc after another dropped to the ground as Legolas and Bretaine loosed their arrows. Once he had spent nearly all of them, Legolas removed his knives and charged straight into the hoard. I did the same, positioning my blade for my first ever encounter.

An orc in the lead made a crude attempt at attacking me and I knocked the rusted blade aside, immediately swinging my sword into the attack that severed his head. I paid no attention to the disembodied head or the headless body that fell to the ground at different moments, knowing it might cause my stomach to turn. I easily worked my way through the group of orcs, finding that they were ill-adapted to combat and easy to kill. I occasionally caught a glimpse of Gimli, Melraas, Durendain, and Legolas fighting with the same ease I did. The soldiers took longer to kill each orc, having to defend against multiple attacks before working their own in. Bretaine had spent her arrows and ran back to help the hobbits with the horses as she was not a very good swordsman and nearly all the orcs now lay dead.

A minute more resulted in seven of us standing amidst the scattered corpses of orcs. I approached Legolas and a soldier where they stood; examining what seemed to be the leader. Its face was twisted into a snarl and its white eyes remained wide open, staring us down. I had never seen an orc until that day and was glad it was so long postponed.

A rustling in a tree alerted Legolas and me, and our eyes shot up to the spot where another orc could be lying in wait.

The soldier followed our line of sight and yelled, "Look out!" as he pushed me back and Legolas placed one of his few remaining arrows on the bowstring. Two arrows were loosed, one a fraction of a second before the other. Legolas' was the second.

A crudely crafted arrow sank deep into the soldier's thigh and not two seconds later, an orc dropped from a tree.

Durendain reached the soldier an instant after he fell to the ground, and I too kneeled beside him.

The soldier clutched at his leg and Durendain instructed me to restrain his arms while Melraas carefully held down his legs. Legolas helped him look over the wound and determine how to proceed.

"Luckily it avoided the bone and got mostly fat and muscle," Legolas looked up at Tuck who was approaching us, "Tuck! Go get the quiver of arrows off of that orc I shot and bring them to me."

Tuck immediately jumped into action and retrieved the sack of arrows from the dead orc. Legolas examined them and frowned in displeasure. The arrowheads had barbs on them to cause more damage if one attempted to pull it out.

He looked down at the soldier and said, "We cannot pull it back out…we will have to push it farther through until we can cut and remove it."

The soldier's eyes widened and he thrashed against us. I struggled to hold on to his arms and Melraas was nearly knocked over by the kick from his good leg.

"Be still!" Durendain's voice boomed out the command and the soldier's limbs stopped flailing. He continued to stare at each of us with a look of panic and agony on his face. "I have a drink that will help to dull the pain."

He went to his horse and brought back a flask of liquid which he promptly instructed him to drink. The soldier obeyed, and the drink took effect quickly. His eyelids drooped and his muscles relaxed, though he did not lose consciousness.

"This will only lessen his pain during the removal, but once he is bandaged up he will fall asleep." Durendain informed us.

I now watched Legolas who prepared to drive the arrow through the leg. He seemed sympathetic toward the soldier and I realized that he had taken the arrow that would have struck me somewhere in the ribs had he not pushed me out of the way.

Another soldier approached, bringing bandages and water. Legolas took the role of leader and began to give orders. "Durendain, take those things from him and be ready, we will have to be quick. Melraas; keep his good leg down, Marielle; keep a hold of his arms. He is very weak right now so it should not be too difficult." He positioned himself above the wound, tightly gripping the arrow, ready to push it through. He looked to me, "You may not want to watch this."

I nodded and turned to watch the soldier's face instead. His eyes were slowly closing and I wondered if he was at all aware of what was about to happen.

I listened as Legolas took a deep breath, then the gory sound of the arrowhead ripping through his flesh and the noise the shaft made as it slid through the bloody wound sent chills over my body.

The soldier's eyes flung open and he screamed in such agony, I could almost feel his pain. He strained to get away and it was hard to see him like that.

There was a snap, and the same noise of the arrow sliding through the wound. I decided it was safe to look and I watched as Durendain flushed the wound with the water and wrapped it tightly with a bandage.

Relief touched the soldier's expression and his head sank back down into the grass. Exhaustion overcame him and his eyes closed.

We all stared at each other for a few moments, wondering at what to do next.

"We should make camp soon…but the important decision is where?" Melraas was the first to speak.

Durendain thought for a moment before answering. "We will move back a ways into the Bight. He cannot be moved very easily so we will have to stay fairly close. By tomorrow he should be able to ride again and we will continue."

Everyone understood and we set out to accomplish our task quickly. Legolas supported the soldier on his horse and rode him to the camp site. Legolas and I set up a bed for him in a tent as the sun began to sink below the horizon.

"Tonight each watch will be taken by three people so all side of the camp can be watched. One of us must stay and tend the soldier in the tent for the whole night." Durendain briefed the entire company.

"I will do it." I volunteered.

"Do you know how to take care of the wound and bandages?"

"Well enough." My father had been my very own physician as a child. Whenever I fell off a horse or nicked myself with a blade, he tended my injuries. I had learned a great deal by watching him.

"Very well then." He let me leave to go to the tent while the rest of the company discussed the shift rotations.

In the tent I set up an area for myself where I could sit or lie down when I was not busy. The medical supply was disappointing; water, torn cloth for rags, and what was left of Durendain's sedative. I frowned and wished my uncle had sent us out better equipped.

Legolas came into the tent as I frowned at the equipment with a bottle of something.

"I noticed that we lack nearly everything necessary to take care of the soldier so I found this brandy in Gimli's things. You should clean the wound with it when you decide to change the bandage."

He handed it to me and he seemed to be contemplating something.

"I could help you if you'd like. His pants will have to be cut and I have a feeling the alcohol might cause him to react, no matter what Durendain has given him."

I had worried about what I would do if the soldier started to thrash around again while I tried to help him, so I sighed when he offered his assistance. "That would be tremendously helpful."

"Then I will return in about an hour, his bandages should need changing then." He smiled and ducked out of the tent.

I became extremely bored waiting for something, anything, to happen. I sat cross-legged beside the soldier, listening to his occasional moans, and watching his face for any signs that he would wake up. After a while my mind began to wander. I started to play with the fabric on my pants. I pulled at loose threads and drew imaginary pictures on my leg. Eventually I lay back onto some blankets. I watched the firelight dance on the canvas of the tent. The image was almost hypnotic and Legolas startled me when he returned.

He looked over the bandage before asking me, "Ready?"

I just nodded and moved closer to the soldier's side. Legolas took out a knife and cut away the fabric, starting a few inches above the wound. I gently unwrapped the blood-soaked bandages and Legolas wiped away any blood around the wound. He firmly held down the leg as I removed the cork from the bottle. I slowly poured some brandy onto the wound, getting only a jerk of the leg for a reaction, and was relieved when he didn't wake. Legolas cleaned the exit point as best he could and we wrapped the new bandage even tighter than the first to encourage the blood to clot.

"Do you think you can manage alone for the rest of the night?" Legolas asked.

"I should be able to."

"My watch doesn't start for a while…Can I keep you company until then?"

"Of course, but, don't you think you should try to sleep?"

"I don't need that much rest. In fact, I don't think I will sleep at all tonight; I want to be ready for anything even when I am not on watch. When my shift is over I will patrol the area, maybe I can find where the orcs' camp or dwelling was."

I nodded, "I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."

"If I had been more alert I could have killed that orc sooner, he wouldn't have gotten shot, and we would be out of the bight by now."

"It's not your fault; I could have seen or heard him earlier too. Nobody blames you."

"But I let us all relax before scanning the forest." He stared at the ground as he spoke. "You could have been shot. And if it had hit you, it would have hit you in the ribs or kidney, you most likely would have died."

I had, of course, thought about that fact a lot when I was alone with the soldier. Every time I imagined what could have happened if the soldier didn't push me, my heart pounded faster. I could have been the one laying unconscious in the tent, and most likely would have ended the expedition. "I know, and the soldier knew that, which is why he pushed me out of the way and took the hit."

"Is that why you volunteered to look after him?"

"Yes. I'm mostly responsible for his injury and I don't even know his name. I feel terrible."

Legolas finally looked up at me. "But I'm glad he was noble enough to take the hit for you, I don't know if the group would have been able to recover if you were hit. And at least he has you to take care of him now."

I blushed at the compliment. "I just hope I can do my job well enough that he recovers quickly."

"You will." Legolas assured me. He smiled and I avoided his eye contact for a while.

It was silent in the tent, aside from the occasional noises that came from the soldier and I decided to lie on my side to reduce the fatigue that would inevitably come.

Not realizing I had fallen asleep, Legolas woke me before leaving to take his shift with Tuck and Bretaine.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep." I sat up and stretched my limbs.

"It's all right, you needed the sleep anyway."

"Well thank you for staying with me."

"It was my pleasure." He bowed and left me alone with the soldier in the tent.

The soldier made a noise and my attention was drawn to him. He moved his leg a little and winced. His eyes opened and it took him a full minute to understand where he was and what had happened. He lifted his head to glance at his leg before letting it fall back onto the blanket.

"I have some more sedative…it will take the pain away." I said quietly.

"No, I don't want to sleep." He brought his hands up to his face and groaned. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I am, you took the arrow for me."

"So Legolas killed it?"

I nodded. "What's your name?" I blurted.

He was confused but answered. "Roryn."

"Roryn." I repeated. "Thank you."

He understood what I meant and answered, "It was my job."

"Well, Roryn, if you won't take the sedative, at least drink some brandy."

He stared at the bottle for a while, looking tempted. "All right." Roryn started to prop himself up on his elbows and I tried to help him.

"I'm fine." He stopped me and sat up.

I passed the brandy to him and he took a few long swigs. When he finally set the bottle by his side he inspected his leg.

"We did what we could with the supplies we have." I said.

"Thank you." He stared at his leg and I was amazed at how different he had looked when he was frenzied. He had dark red hair and blue eyes that drew the focus of my eyes. His skin was somewhat fair, but not as white and freckled as most red-haired people. Besides the striking color of his eyes, the rest of his face was unremarkable. I wondered if I had ever met him before, when I lived in Minas Tirith.

"How did you see that orc?" I asked after a brief silence.

"Well I guess it's one of my talents. I can't hear as well as an elf, but I have very sharp eyes…When I saw it sitting in the tree, I could see its arrow aimed at us so I pushed you out of the way." He looked somewhat sad. "If you had died, it would have been a tragedy for all of Gondor, and the recovering of your grandparents would have been delayed. If I die, the group can give me a burial and move on with the journey."

"You aren't going to die." I said. "It's only a leg wound."

"You can't be sure. It could get infected."

"I don't think Legolas would let that happen."

Roryn sighed, "I hope not."

The conversation had been awkward so far so I decided to change the subject. "Have we ever met before this?"

He smiled and finally made eye contact with me. "Yes, when I was seventeen you rode into the city with your grandfather after you two rode together on the plains for your tenth birthday. You rode past my father's shop and your grandfather asked if you wanted something in the display. You looked to me and asked me to pick something from the table. I picked a silver brush and you seemed to love it, so your grandfather bought it for you."

I grinned and pulled my bag closer to me. "I still have it." I retrieved my brush that I had cherished since my grandfather got it for me. I hardly remembered the young man in the shop but the red hair seemed familiar.

He laughed, "That makes me happy. My father was so honored that you owned one of his hand-made brushes. He would have loved to hear that you still have it."

"It's beautiful. I'm glad you picked it."

We talked as if we were old friends and Roryn gave me details of what had happened in Minas Tirith since I moved away. A little while later he finally gave into my suggestions that he take the rest of the sedative and sleep for the rest of the night.

I managed to stay awake through the night with the help of Tuck, who came into the tent after a suggestion from Legolas.

"He thought it might be nice if I came in to keep you company." Tuck said.

"That was very thoughtful of him."

"He's not the first elf I have met, but he's one of my favorites." He smiled.

"I agree."

Tuck looked sheepish for a moment. "I think he is attached to you."

"What? Tuck, don't be ridiculous."

"Sorry Marielle, I just think he looks after you more than anyone else."

"He looks after everyone. Right now he is searching the forest to keep us all safe…And he knows I don't need protection."

We talked for the rest of the night until it started to become lighter in the tent.

Tuck and I left the tent to find someone to take over the duty of watching Roryn so I could teach the hobbits more sword mastery before we left the camp. Bretaine agreed to look after Roryn and Tuck went to get Droigo.

As I cleared an area for practice, Legolas emerged from the woods and approached me.

"Did you find their camp?" I asked.

"Yes, there were no other orcs around; I believe we're safe to move on."

"That's good to hear."

He nodded then reached into a bag that was slung over his shoulder. "Take this."

He handed me a flask of wine and I must have looked confused.

"It's Miruvor, you didn't get enough sleep, and this will revive you."

"Thank you." There was only a small amount in the flask so I drank the rest of it. Within seconds I could feel warmth coming to my limbs, filling me with renewed strength and energy. I laughed and gave the flask back to Legolas.

"I'm glad it could help." He smiled and left me alone to wait for the hobbits.

Suddenly, what Tuck had suggested in the tent came back to my mind. What if Legolas was attached to me?


	5. Chapter 5: HOPELESS

**Thank you for the reviews and follows, I didn't expect people to actually like this when I uploaded it. It took me a while longer to upload this one because I have been super busy with my AP classes at school. I will try to update within two weeks, but I promise I will do it in less weekday month. Thanks again. :)**

I spent most of my free time for the next few days with the soldiers, getting to know each one of them personally and forming ties to these citizens of Minas Tirith. Roryn and I developed a close friendship, and he had begun to remind me of my cousin. I learned a lot about him, why he became a soldier instead of carrying on his father's business, how many siblings he had, and who the woman he loved was.

I rode alongside Roryn one of the days of travel, and asked, "So Roryn, do you have a lady in Minas Tirith?"

His cheeks reddened and he cleared his throat. "Yes."

"Well?" I prodded, "Tell me."

"I'm engaged."

"How could this have escaped our previous conversations?" I laughed.

"It slipped my mind."

"I doubt that, someone you are in love with doesn't just slip your mind...What's her name?"

"Kalyn." He practically sighed her name.

"That's a beautiful name."

He smiled to himself. "It is."

"When did you meet her?"

"Not very long ago, but when I first met her I knew she was the woman I would marry one day."

"That's very romantic."

"It really wasn't," he began, "one day I was helping my father and I was delivering something to a customer. When I left his house I accidentally ran into a produce display that Kalyn had set up." He laughed at the memory, "I felt terrible so of course I helped her pick up the vegetables and rearrange them. I promised her that I would repay her for the vegetables I had ruined so I went back to the shop and brought her a silver mirror I had made with my father a while before. She didn't feel right because the mirror was much more valuable than the food I destroyed, so she promised me a free vegetable every day. So every day for the next six months I went to her and got a carrot or some other vegetable. Every day I spent an hour with her, learning everything there was to know about her. Eventually I gained enough courage to ask her to marry me."

His story made me happy for him, but also sad I hadn't found someone I could marry. I had never really tried because I knew my mother would most likely disapprove of any young man I attached myself to, so I was doomed to marry someone from the group of men hand-selected by my mother. She would most definitely approve of Legolas as a worthy match, but I felt that his parents never would. Elves were supposed to marry elves, everything stayed simpler that way. Only my grandmother and my ancestor Luthien Tinuviel had ever given up elven immortality for a mortal. Fortunately I didn't have to worry about Legolas; Tuck had been wrong about his supposed attachment. He spent a lot less time with me than he had before the incident, and I wondered if he was purposefully avoiding me. Even when I was speaking with Gimli he did not join in to the conversation like he used to. I didn't know how to feel about his strange detachment; I was relieved that he was not partial to me, but I enjoyed Legolas' company and didn't understand why he would avoid me.

"When will you marry her?" I asked.

"As soon as I get back." He beamed.

His enthusiasm lifted my spirits and the rest of the journey seemed easier.

It didn't take long to reach the River Running, but for Roryn, the trip seemed longer with a painful injury. I continued to train the hobbits in sword mastery and they surprised me every day, holding each other responsible for practicing and teaching each other. They retained everything they learned and I didn't have to spend much time reviewing anything.

Though my thoughts were often occupied with other things, I couldn't help but wonder about Legolas. He insisted that Bretaine spend more time with her bow. Of course that meant she had to spend a lot of time with Legolas. I also couldn't help wishing Tuck was right. Legolas was everything any woman could ever wish for; his company was enjoyable, he was kinder than most men I had ever met, and he cared for people who should have been of no consequence to him.

The last two nights before reaching the River Running, in attempt to rekindle our friendship, I sat beside him at the camp fire.

He smiled politely at me and stared into the flames.

After some time he finally initiated a conversation. "I have seen some of your training with the hobbits and they seemed to have improved greatly."

"They have, and they amaze me every day." I couldn't help but be proud of my students.

"It seems that Tuck really admires you. The only thing he talks about is how great of a teacher you are and how quickly he is becoming a master of swordsmanship." He chuckled quietly.

"Oh, really? A master? Well he has a long way to go, but he is doing very well for the amount of time he has been acquainted with the weapon."

The conversation lapsed back into momentary silence and I decide to turn the conversation back on him.

"And Bretaine...How is her training coming along?"

"She is a lot better than she was when I began teaching her. But she gets frustrated easily when she doesn't reach every one of her goals."

"What goals?"

"She is trying to push herself to become a master in such a small amount of time. I have tried to explain that is impossible; it took me many years to reach my level of skill."

The look of genuine concern on his face made me start to doubt the relationship between Bretaine and Melraas I had created in my mind.

I glanced over to where Bretaine and Melraas were sitting together, laughing. No, I hadn't imagined it. There was a definite attraction between the two.

My heart sank as I formed a theory as to why Legolas had been acting so strangely. Perhaps he was in love with Bretaine, and his strange mood was brought on by her attention to Melraas.

"How is the soldier?" He asked.

"Roryn?" Thinking of his recent story about Kalyn made me smile. "He is healing quickly because of your skill. I think that if any one else had attempted to remove the arrow, his injury would have been much worse."

I could see that it lifted his spirits some to hear this and I was pleased; it was hard to see him so upset about something.

"We should reach the River Running in two days."

I nodded. "I hope we can find some sort of sign of my grandparents."

"So do I." He sighed.

The next night at the fire was even more strained. He didn't ignore me but his replies were vague and didn't prompt any further conversation.

The following day we reached the river, it wound back and forth, cutting a unique, twisting line through the hills. I was in awe of its majesty then finally realized how easily my grandparents could have been swept away by the speed of the water. I tried to dismiss the thought but my mind kept coming back to it. Anxiety overcame me and I never expected to see them again.

I saw Legolas slow to let me catch up to him, but before I did, Roryn rode up alongside me. "Are you all right?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "Not really."

"Are you worried about them?"

I nodded.

"We'll find them Marielle. The King is strong for his age and I don't think he would let anything happen to himself or Lady Arwen."

"I hope you're right."

"Try not to worry about it." He smiled and the conversation ended.

Legolas looked back at me, and then faced forward again.

"We cross the river in a mile. The water is calmer there and there is a ferry we can take across." Bretaine had turned around to address the whole group. We will set up camp on the other side and I will take a party out to search." We made it to the ferry in good time, and a few of us took the first trip over. Melraas ran the ferry back and forth, making multiple trips to get everyone safely across.

After a while, the tents were set up and Bretaine had assembled a group consisting of Melraas, three soldiers, and Droigo.

I could easily see that Tuck was jealous of his brother and I decided to surprise him. "Tuck, would you like to have a one-on-one lesson today?"

His eyes lit up and he grinned up at me. "I would love to!"

"Then go get your sword."

Tuck skipped off and I decided to find a spot to practice that was filled with drift wood and other obstacles. So far he had been trained in areas that had been cleared so he wouldn't trip. Keeping the debris inside the training area would help him develop his skills, and teach him the importance of focus.

It didn't take him long to fetch his sword and join me. I started off the training like I usually did; I called positions and he moved. He knew every position and hit every one of them faster than he usually did. I could see how much he had improved and decided to change things up.

"All right Tuck, let's try something else." I moved toward him, and stood in front of him. "I think you are ready to practice on a real person now."

His eyes widened and he looked at me disbelievingly. "What if I hurt you?"

"Don't worry Tuck, you won't."

"What if you hurt me?"

"I am only going to be blocking today; you won't have to worry about me until a few days from now. And besides, I wouldn't hurt you."

He gulped and raised his sword out in front of him.

"Don't tense up Tuck, you won't be able to move quickly."

He took a few deep breaths and his expression changed. He concentrated on me, his target, and struck.

It didn't take much to deflect his sword but he was not discouraged. He immediately brought the sword back around to attack the other side. I was surprised at how well he kept his head and continued swinging though I easily knocked away each of his attacks. Once in a while he stumbled on account of a rock or piece of wood, but quickly composed himself and refocused. He persisted and used his speed and agility to almost confuse me many times. I had a feeling that if I hadn't been the one to teach him what he knew, he could have landed hits on me.

The duel lasted for several minutes before I could tell Tuck was getting frustrated.

I stepped out of his area of attack and said, "This isn't working. You need someone else to practice on."

Tuck sighed in relief and let the point of the sword fall to the ground in front of him.

"Tomorrow I will find someone for you to duel with."

He nodded wearily and together we trudged back to the campsite.

A few hours later Bretaine and her company returned with no ideas or clues as to where my grandparents might have gone, however, she was determined to find something and she planned a search for the next day.

My task was to find an appropriate sparring partner for Tuck. Melraas was my first choice, and a perfect candidate, but I didn't want to take him away from Bretaine's search party. Roryn would have been a good fit if he wasn't injured. I would have asked one of the remaining soldiers to help, but Tuck seemed intimidated by them, so I was left with Legolas.

I assumed that he wasn't as skilled with the sword as he was with the bow, which made him well-suited to Tuck's capabilities. Like Tuck, Legolas was light on his feet and could match his speed and agility, and he would be forced to use his other skills. The more I thought about it, the happier I was with the match.

I felt awkward coming to Legolas that night during supper. He had taken his meal and sat on the high bank of the river to be alone. His behavior had become increasingly odd, and I felt as though I would be intruding on his solitude by joining him.

I knew he could hear me, but he didn't react to my approach. I sat beside him and immediately stated my intentions. "I was hoping you could help me train Tuck tomorrow."

He looked over at me and replied, "Of course I would. I was watching the two of you and I hoped you would come to me."

"Really?" I was surprised in his interest in Tuck's training. "That's wonderful."

"I thought you might be too skilled for Tuck to gain anything from attacking you."

"That's exactly the problem."

After a momentary lull, which I expected would be the end of the conversation, Legolas spoke again. "How is Roryn?" He asked.

"He is healing wonderfully; his leg doesn't cause him pain any longer unless he walks on it." I replied enthusiastically, grateful that Legolas seemed interested in holding a meaningful conversation.

"I'm glad. He seems like a good man."

"He is." I said, "Kalyn is a very lucky woman."

"Who is Kalyn?" His expression changed and his eyebrows pulled together.

"Roryn's betrothed."

His face relaxed and he seemed to suddenly understand something he had been oblivious to. He laughed unexpectedly and I became extremely confused.

"What?" I asked.

Legolas composed himself and shook his head. "It's nothing."

His sudden change in attitude made me smile and I hoped his strange behavior was over. To my satisfaction, we continued to talk the way he had before he had started acting strange.

Legolas described in detail what he had found that after the orc attack on the group. He explained that he didn't have to go far to find their camp, and that, from the look of it, they were most likely nomadic. After the War of the Ring, the orcs no longer had a purpose so they travelled the forest, avoiding the elves of Mirkwood who would show them no mercy, waiting for some new evil to guide them. He said that the camp was in terrible shape; they hardly had any food, not enough for another meal for the entire group. He suspected they had been aware of our presence, stalking us for a while until they could attack. They had been hungry and desperate.

I could see that Legolas pitied them, but felt no remorse for killing them.

I couldn't help but feel guilty for killing so many orcs; hearing about their lives in the forest almost made them seem justified, and I too began to pity them.

Legolas changed the subject from orcs to distract me from the guilt I felt.

"I've been acting strange lately, haven't I?" He asked.

"Uh," I felt strange about agreeing with him. "I suppose."

"You can say it, I know you've noticed."

"You've noticed _me_ noticing _your_ strange behavior?"

We both laughed and he said, "Yes, I notice a lot of things…but I don't always seem to perceive them correctly."

"What do you mean?"

"When you told me Roryn was engaged I laughed because I had been very wrong about something."

"And that was?"

He hesitated before speaking again. "I assumed that you and Roryn were…"

"Were what?"

He made a face that seemed to imply what he didn't want to say.

"Oh, goodness no!" I interjected. "I have never seen Roryn in any light other than that of friendship and brotherhood."

Legolas seemed embarrassed by the situation. "I'm sorry I thought that."

"Don't apologize; I _suppose_ I can see why you might have come to that conclusion."

We both chuckled and I could hear someone with heavy footfalls approaching from the camp. I guessed it was Gimli and knew I was correct when Legolas didn't turn to see who it was.

"You wouldn't leave me out of an entertaining conversation, would you?"

I turned to look at him and smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Well," Gimli said, "We wanted to have everyone sing us a song around the fire, but the two of you were missing."

"We will join you in a moment," Legolas said.

"All right, but hurry up." He said gruffly and walked off toward camp.

Legolas stood up and offered me a hand to help me up. I took his hand and we started to walk back.

"I realize that as a part of my behavior I have been somewhat…"

"Distant? Elusive?" I attempted to finish his sentence.

"Yes, and I'm sorry." He sounded ashamed. "You must have been confused."

I nodded. "I was…But I am glad you are speaking to me now."

He smiled and we joined the circle that had been formed around the fire. Gimli began the songs with one that he said Thorin Oakenshield used to sing. The song was haunting and deep about the depths of the dwarves' mountains and the creatures that lie in the darkness. The song singing continued clockwise around the circle until I sang a song my grandfather had taught me about Gondor that he had sang with Legolas after Boromir fell. I picked it for the extreme emotion it evoked, and when I finished the first stanza, Legolas sang the second stanza, and the meaning of the song hit me. Legolas presented the real emotion behind the song, expressing the same emotions he had experienced the day Boromir died. He nodded to me to sing the third stanza, and when I began he sang a harmony to it that created a different atmosphere. The tune was enchantingly beautiful, and when Legolas began the final stanza I did as he did and sang the harmony.

When the song was over there was a reverent silence in the group before Bretaine sang a song her grandmother had sung at the funeral of her cousin. The rest of the songs were melancholy and I felt like the group was subconsciously mourning my grandparents. I felt hopeless about finding them and all I could do was try not to completely give up and cry.

Bretaine and I silently walked back to our tent, and the camp was very quiet for the rest of the night.


	6. Chapter 6: PAIN

**Okay, this was a fairly long chapter to make up for the irregularity in the updates. Please review so I can know what you guys like/don't like. Things are about to get real crazy and I would hate to make it lame right when it's getting good. Enjoy! :)**

I woke up feeling depressed about the likely state of my grandparents. Bretaine had already woken up and taken her group to search the river, so I joined the remaining members of the fellowship for breakfast.

Once I finished eating I found Legolas and gave him my sword to prepare, which I had wrapped in heavy cloth. I found Tuck behind his tent where he was swinging his sword and practicing positions. "I will have to wrap the blade in cloth before your duel so you don't injure Legolas."

He was startled out of his focus and looked at me questioningly. "Legolas?"

"Yes, I think he will be the perfect sparring partner for you, he is a master with the bow, and skilled with his knives, but he has some work to do with the sword."

Tuck smiled and handed me his sword. I wrapped the blade twice in the same heavy cloth and used some spare twine to secure it in place.

"Now let's go find him." Tuck and I walked back out to our dueling area where Legolas was practicing lunges while he waited for us.

"Good morning Tuck." Legolas greeted him as we approached.

"Are the both of you ready?" I asked.

Tuck nodded enthusiastically and Legolas shrugged, "As ready as I can be."

"Very well then, I suggest you be very observant Legolas; Tuck is very nimble."

"So am I." He smiled cockily.

"Well I suppose we will see then." I suppressed a grin. "Ready…"

I commanded them to begin and Tuck immediately focused and became the hunter, circling Legolas, who was clearly intimidated by the hobbit. They sized each other up before Tuck lunged and attacked Legolas. It was obvious that Legolas hadn't expected such a bold move, but he was able to dodge it anyway. After the initiatory attack by Tuck they commenced the real fighting; blocking and swinging, lunging and feinting.

It was hard not to laugh since the difference in size and shape of the two made their deadly dance comical.

One of Legolas' attacks was aimed at Tuck's shoulder, but he dodged it and ducked under Legolas' legs and landed a hit on his lower back. "Wow…that still really hurts." He laughed.

"Don't get distracted Legolas, you are still in a duel. You should never let your opponent get behind you!" I called out.

Legolas smirked and lifted the sword as he turned back around to face Tuck. "All right then, hobbit, here we go."

Tuck matched his mischievous smile and they resumed their fight. Tuck was able to land a few more body hits on Legolas through the course of the practice, and Legolas even managed to hit Tuck once on the arm.

"Well I think that was successful." I put my hands on my hips and looked at the two. Tuck appeared very pleased with his work and rubbed his arm, while Legolas seemed to have enjoyed helping Tuck.

Legolas returned my sword to me and I removed the twine and cloth from the blade and turned it over, letting the sun glint off the mithril.

"It's magnificently crafted," He said as he admired Celebdin.

"My grandfather had the dwarves make it specially for me."

Legolas smiled at the mention of his old friend.

"I'm going back to the camp," Tuck left us and skipped back toward the tents.

"Legolas, do you honestly think we will find them?" I asked quietly.

He looked at the ground while he answered me, "I think we will find them, but I am not very optimistic about what state they might be in."

A lump began to form in my throat and I had to fight to make my voice sound normal. "I feel hopeless about it. Bretaine is the best tracker in Gondor and she hasn't found anything that might lead us to them."

It took a while for Legolas to respond, but he thought hard about what he wanted to say. "There must have been some very specific reason for them to leave without guard or telling Eldarion where they were going and why."

"I don't know. My grandfather loves adventure, maybe they just wanted to go do something without my uncle breathing down their necks."

Legolas shook his head. "Although he loved adventure, he wouldn't leave his kingdom and do something reckless unless it could somehow protect his people."

What he said made sense to me, but It made my heart heavy to contemplate the possibility that my grandparents could have left to be sacrifices in order to the kingdom safe.

The rest of the day was uneventful, filled with a lot of waiting. I took Moonstone for a ride across the plains, staying fairly close to the camp. An old tree provided a perfect shaded spot and I rested there for lunch while I wracked my brain for any hints my grandparents may have given me to suggest they would go away. I felt like it was my duty to retrieve them as I was their only relation that had joined the fellowship. If I failed, I would devastate my parents, aunts and uncles, many cousins, and the entire kingdom.

When I couldn't remember anything suspicious, I began to replay my grandfather's stories and songs in my mind, sometimes singing aloud so I could focus on the words.

I quickly sat up from my reclined position in the grass with an idea: my grandfather may have told me of the place where he was now in some song or story shortly before he disappeared. First I focused on the stories that I remembered well; tales about the Fellowship, stories from his days as a ranger, and ancient stories about the beginning of the race of man; but none of them seemed cryptic enough to be hiding any secret meanings. I thought hard to remember the ones about the final resting places of kings, or about hidden places and mysterious lands. These were the hardest to remember, but one specific one teased me, tiptoeing around the edges of my memory and tugging on the corners of it. A story I had heard only once, and never understood, the abstractness of it making it more difficult to recall. It danced in and out of my conscious mind, leaving small details behind, frustrating me to the point of tears. I buried my face in my hands and tried to force the memory back to life, but it slipped away again.

I gave up and rode back, hoping that the memory would float back into my head the way forgotten thoughts usually do when you least expect them.

It was quiet in the camp when I returned, but Roryn had been wondering where I went. I helped him make lunch for the search group and we sat and waited for them to come back.

When they finally did return I could tell Bretaine was extremely frustrated, so when she went straight into our tent without speaking to anyone, I followed after her. She stood behind a makeshift table with a map of Middle Earth spread across it, her hands on either side of the parchment and a few loose strands of hair hanging in front of her face. Her head was hung in frustration and she sighed in defeat before looking up at me. "Marielle, I'm sorry, I have searched the river and I can't find anything. This has never happened to me."

"Bretaine, I think we should forget the river."

Her eyebrows pulled together and she chewed her lip. "But what if there's something that I'm missing…If we leave, there's a possibility we won't find anything for weeks."

"I trust your judgment. If you stay we continue to search the river, we do; but if you want to leave, we leave. I think that if my grandparents had followed the river very far, someone would have seen them and told someone."

She didn't respond and stared at the map for a while. Bretaine finally drew a vague line that traced the path we had come, then extended out past the river. "We should keep going east. If we have to we can set up a grid system to make sure we cover a lot of ground and give ourselves a better chance of finding something."

"If you think so." I said.

Bretaine sighed. "Shall we make it official and announce this to the fellowship?"

I nodded.

"All right, I will do it." She rolled up the map and walked out of the tent. I followed her and met the confused looks on Roryn's and Tuck's faces. Everyone automatically gathered around out of curiosity about Bretaine's behavior. She cleared her throat and there was complete silence except for the ambiance from the river. "We will no longer be searching the river; if they crossed and left a trail I would have picked it up by now, and if they had traveled down the river, someone would have seen something by now. Marielle and I have decided that we will go east, hopefully my instinct will lead us to something."

Everyone was silent until Durendain approached us and asked. "Are you sure this is what we should do?" The both of us nodded and Durendain turned to the group. "Does everyone support this decision?"

Melraas and Legolas were the first to voice their support, and the rest followed soon after.

"We leave tomorrow." I spoke. "Time is not our ally on this quest."

There were nods of approval and Bretaine lightened the mood, "All right. Did anyone make me lunch?"

The assembly disbanded and those who hadn't eaten crowded around Roryn, who handed out rations.

I was glad to see that Bretaine was no longer frustrated, and she seemed to enjoy the prospect of leaving the river. Just after supper that night I went to my tent to pack up my things before everyone gathered around the fire so I wouldn't have to waste time doing it in the morning. I heard Bretaine and Melraas' voice behind the tent and walked around to speak to them. When I looked around the corner at them, the two were standing very close to each other and I quickly stepped out of sight before they saw me. I made sure not to make any noise and I listened closely to what they said.

"Bretaine, I think you may already know how I feel about you."

She was quiet and I could feel the anticipation in the air.

"I want you to tell me anyway." She said cheekily.

Melraas chuckled, "You are a difficult woman."

"And that's how you feel about me?" She laughed softly.

"Yes...but I also have other feelings for you."

"Which would be?"

They were quiet and I peeked around the corner at them. Melraas held her face in his hands and leaned forward to kiss her. It was hard to stay quiet so I moved away before I was seen. I put off packing my things and joined the ones who were already gathered around the fire, and Roryn looked at me questioningly when I couldn't stop smiling.

Bretaine joined the group soon after I did, and Melraas followed a few minutes later. I looked at Bretaine and raised my eyebrow at her to let her know I knew her secret. Her eyes widened and I could just barely see her blush before she looked away. The rest of the time we all spent around the fire I shot knowing looks to Bretaine and Melraas to tease them.

When we all left the fire to go to our tents, I watched Bretaine go into the tent, but Melraas did not come to wish her goodnight like I expected.

I hadn't been paying much attention and Legolas startled me just before I went inside the tent. "Goodnight Marielle."

"Oh, goodness, how long have you been there?" I jumped and placed a hand on my chest.

He smiled, "I was just behind you the whole time, I thought you knew I was there."

"Sorry, I was distracted and waiting for Melraas."

"Melraas?" He looked confused.

I looked around, and when I decided there were too many ears nearby I took his hand and led him a little ways away from the tents. "Can you keep a secret?"

He laughed. "I think so."

"Well I wasn't planning on telling anyone, but you might have misinterpreted things again." I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Again?"

"I was only expecting Melraas because I know that Bretaine and Melraas are...fond of each other."

"How?"

"Just before we joined the fire I saw him kiss her." I said.

"Really?" He smiled. "Huh."

"I'm sorry, I usually don't gossip, but I was worried you might think I was attached to him."

"Of course, I seem to do that a lot." He laughed.

I realized I hadn't released his hand and I quickly dropped it. "Oh, sorry."

"Goodnight Marielle." He bowed and I nodded to him, and we both went to our own tents. I hoped no one had seen that little moment with Legolas; it could easily have been misunderstood.

I slipped into the tent and Bretaine was sitting on her cot waiting for me. "Um, Marielle, I..."

"Bretaine, don't worry, I knew of you and Melraas before you even did."

"What exactly did you see?"

"Enough." I smiled.

She sighed, "Would you mind keeping it a secret? I think the others might think I am not taking the fellowship seriously if they knew."

"Bretaine," I sat beside her. "No one would doubt you, but of course I will keep your secret."

She smiled and took my hand. "You are a good friend. And I am glad you know, it would have driven me crazy to try to keep that secret alone and not talk to anyone about it."

"I think the two of you make a beautiful couple. And so you know, I will always be willing to talk to you about anything you wish to talk about."

She thought for a moment. "How long have you known that Melraas had...feelings for me?"

I laughed, "Quite a while. It wasn't long after our journey began that I noticed how much attention he pays to you."

She blushed again. "He is a very good man."

"I agree." I stood up to go to my own bed but she grabbed my hand to stop me.

"Wait, there's something else I wanted to speak to you about."

I sat back down beside her and she hesitated before speaking again.

"What about you and...Legolas?"

"Legolas? What about him?"

"Well I was fairly sure the two of you-"

"No no no." I cut her off. "We are friends, I don't..."

"I'm sorry Marielle; I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that you two spend a lot of time together."

"But I also spend a lot of time with Roryn...that doesn't mean-"

"Do you have feelings for Roryn?"

"No! He's engaged!" I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't react this way. Tuck thought the same thing you did, but Legolas and I are friends...And he's an elf."

"What does that have to do with it?" She asked.

"Elves and men can't be attached to each other."

She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head at me. "Your grandmother was attached to a man."

"Well, she had the choice because our ancestor, Luthien Tinuviel, made it possible for her descendants...Legolas is not one of her descendants, he couldn't marry a human even if he wanted to."

"Of course he can."

"But he's immortal."

"So you _have_ thought about it?" She smiled teasingly at me.

"Well, when Tuck suggested that he was attached to me I thought about it a lot...and it's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, Marielle. If he loved you, he would find a way." She held my hand tenderly. "Goodnight princess."

"Sleep well Bretaine." She released my hand and I went to my own bed.

I was awoken early by a disturbing dream haunted by a pale face with large dark eyes.

I used the extra time I had from waking early to pack my things and take Moonstone on a short ride. When I returned, everyone had woken up and the tents were being taken down. I ate breakfast with the group, and we started to ride east. It felt good to be traveling again; it had started to become boring in the camp and I needed a break from the waiting.

Traveling invigorated me. I felt like I had enough energy to do anything, and I again had hope that we would find my grandparents. The songs sung around the campfire the first few nights were more lighthearted and hopeful.

We traveled for nearly a week, relying on Bretaine's instinct and logic. We passed through a sparse forest to a hilly valley with deep green shrubs and grasses, cluttered with rock outcroppings. We used the rocks as shelters, leaving the tents packed up, and sleeping under the rocks that jutted out. It rained often, forcing us to wait under cover until the skies cleared.

I was troubled when my dream was visited twice more by the white, ghastly face. I had never seen it before my dreams and it gave me a sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach. The skin of the creature made it seem like it had never seen the sun, and its wide black pupils rimmed with a sliver of pale blue iris were suited for extreme darkness. There was something about it, even though it did not appear strong or menacing, that made me fear it. Putting it out of my mind was not easy, but I was able to with enough distraction.

Eventually we began to walk the horses through the rain to make up for the time we spent waiting, and to try to find any trails before they were washed away by the water. The happiness and energy from traveling quickly wore off, and with it, the spark of hope that we would find my grandparents.

I grew uneasy whenever we neared a new cluster of rocks, knowing that an enemy could easily ambush us.

My uneasiness was justified when we were attacked twice more by Orcs that used the rocks as their hideouts and camps. They weren't difficult to deal with, and we lost no one thanks to the great skill of everyone in the Fellowship. I had been worried that Roryn would not be able to hold his own in battle, but I had nothing to worry about, he fought through the pain and killed many Orcs. My fighting was different than it had been in the first battle we were involved in; I tried to be merciful, killing them as quickly as possible, and putting those who had been severely injured and left to die in the dirt, out of their misery.

A few days after the last attack, we trudged through the slick, muddy terrain like always. It was just after a rain and I enjoyed the break from drops of water stinging my face. My clothing clung to my body uncomfortably, and my hair stuck to my neck since my hood hadn't done much to protect me from the nearly horizontally slanting rain. The wind chilled me, finding its way into my clothes and drying out my eyes. I wrapped the cloak around my self and held it tightly with one hand while I kept a held of Moonstone's reigns with the other.

Legolas walked beside me, not appearing to be much affected by the weather, although his clothes were soaked as well. "Are you all right?" He asked.

I nodded, keeping my jaw clamped shut to keep my teeth from chattering.

"It's windier today, are you sure you don't need something else to warm you?"

I managed to control my jaw long enough to speak. "Don't worry Legolas; I will be fine as soon as we start a fire."

We carried on; no one spoke, silently enduring the journey.

Moonstone stopped walking and stamped at the ground a few times. "Oh come on." I said and gently pulled her in the right direction. She reared up for a moment and started to back away.

A few of the others saw my trouble and looked on curiously, but Legolas dropped the reigns of his horse and came to help me. He placed a hand on her nose and stroked it while whispering in elvish. She seemed to calm down for a moment, only to whinny and start backing up again. I became anxious; she only reacted in such away when she sensed something nearby.

I drew Celebdin just before I heard a terrifying shriek from ahead. The hobbits drew their swords and the glowed blue, silently warning the entire group to prepare for an attack. At least fifty goblins came barreling down a hill from behind a pile of jagged rocks. They were slimmer and quicker than Orcs and I began to worry. The hobbits had handled themselves magnificently with the Orcs, but I had no idea how they would fare against the goblins.

Legolas and Bretaine where the first to kill any of them; firing off each of their arrows as quickly as they could to lessen the horde. We all moved in a group away from the horses toward the oncoming goblins so they would not be caught up in the midst of the fighting.

My heart pounded and I studied the creatures, hoping to learn something about how they moved before I had to try to kill one.

"Tuck, Droigo! Watch yourselves! The goblins are quicker than the Orcs!" I called out to them.

They nodded bravely at me and prepared for the battle. I quickly moved to the front where I was joined by Melraas, Durendain, and a few soldiers. I greeted the head of the attack by blocking a few strikes and slicing a neck. The battle was fierce and more drawn out than the previous ones. I worked my way through the group, trying to deal with as many as possible so my hobbits wouldn't have as many to face themselves. I didn't get a chance to watch any one else but Legolas, who ran ahead of me with his bow slung over his shoulders, and his dual knives in his hands.

Once I had worked my way through I turned back to look at everyone else before running to aid them. Everyone seemed to be taking care of themselves well enough, even my hobbits. I went back through the fighting mass, making sure to keep my footing. The rain had started again and it stung as it struck my face. I went to help Roryn, fearing that his leg could hinder his abilities.

My fear became a reality as a large goblin struck his leg with a club, making him crumple to the ground in pain, and his knee sink into the mud.

I screamed and ran faster, knowing I wouldn't be able to stop what came next. He feebly raised his sword and just barely knocked away another blow in time for an arrow to fly past my head and strike the goblin through the heart.

I turned to see Legolas, who had used an arrow he ripped from a goblin's chest to defend Roryn. I couldn't hear him over the sound of metal on metal and the cries of the goblins, but he seemed to be yelling something. He ran and started prying another arrow from a body while I turned again to look at Roryn. Another goblin I hadn't seen because of the large one hit Roryn's sword from his hands with his crude, spear-shaped weapon and ran it through his stomach.

"No!" I screamed and fell to my knees, dropping Celebdin in the mud.

Another arrow sailed through the air a few moments too late and killed the goblin.

Tears began to sting my eyes and I stumbled toward my friend. "Roryn!" I fell to the ground beside him and tried to cut his tunic away to assess his wound.

He was breathing in short, rapid breaths and his eyes stared straight up at the clouds. The ragged hole in his abdomen was horrifying and beyond repair, but I gathered the torn clothes and tried to stop the bleeding.

Legolas was close behind and kneeled beside me. "Marielle stop, you'll only hurt him more, there's nothing we can do!"

Roryn's eyes finally focused on me and he gently grabbed my hand. "Marielle, you can't fix me."

I blinked the tears from my eyelids. "I have to! You have to go back to Kalyn!"

He looked at me sadly and closed his eyes. "You will have to go back to her for me."

I shook my head furiously. "I can't go back there without you."

"You have to, Marielle. You have to tell Kalyn of my bravery and my love for her."

Others began to gather around after the last of the goblins were killed.

I sobbed and buried my face in my hands. His shaky hand rested on my back and he said, "You have been a dear friend to me, and I am glad I took the arrow in your place. Please tell Kalyn and my family how much I loved them."

I dropped my hands to look at his face; it seemed almost peaceful.

"Please." He said softly.

I nodded once. "Of course I will."

"It was an honor to fight alongside you, Princess." He took my hand and kissed it. "Find your grandparents; I know they are out there, and that they need you."

I nodded again and he dropped my hand. A moment of fear passed over his face before he tried to smile reassuringly at me. A second later he was gone and I could see the spirit gone from his face; he didn't look like himself.

I turned away and saw Legolas watching me sadly. I was suddenly overcome and I sobbed uncontrollably. Legolas pulled me to him and I buried my face in his chest. I could barely hear Bretaine's quiet crying over myself.

I don't know how long I stayed there and cried before Legolas eventually scooped me up and carried me to dry shelter.

I woke up wrapped in blankets beside the fire where almost everyone was already asleep. Legolas looked back at me from where he was on watch at the opening of the shelter.

He moved to sit beside me. "Are you warm enough?"

I nodded and stared at the fire. "Thank you."

"Are you going to be all right?"

"Eventually." My eyes stung from crying and I choked back a sob.

Legolas was quiet for a long time until he began to sing. He sang a mourning song for the fall of Roryn, beautifully honoring his humble, honest life. Tuck joined in and sang his own stanza that perfectly captured Roryn's selfless and courageous character.

Tears silently slipped down my face to the rolled blanket beneath my head.

Gimli, then Melraas, each sang their own stanza to honor him, making me realize how closely intertwined everyone from the fellowship had become in each other's lives.

I didn't speak much for the next few days and I could tell that Tuck, Bretaine, and Legolas were very concerned about me. The other soldiers were unusually quiet as well, and they silently mourned their brother.

I became more determined than ever to find my grandparents, partly so I could return and fulfill my promise to Roryn.

Each morning, Bretaine would scout the surrounding area before she decided which way we should go. We eventually moved out of the rain into a dryer climate similar to the one in Gondor. It was difficult, but I tried not to let the loss of Roryn affect me; to hide the crippling guilt and sorrow I felt because of his death.

The dreams got worse. Every moment of every dream was filled with the fear that something was watching me, waiting for me to fall into its trap. The ghastly face lingered in my mind throughout the day as a reminder to be wary. I couldn't help but feel that something terrible would happen to me in the near future, but I didn't care. The only thing that mattered any more was finding my grandparents, and returning to Minas Tirith.


	7. Chapter 7: THE ABYSS

We wound back and forth across the valley, hoping to find something. I accompanied Bretaine on every scouting trip she went on, trying to understand the minds of my grandparents and guess where they would go. Together we made each decision on which way to travel, and how much longer the group would stay on the journey.

With heavy hearts we decided that we would spend only a week more on the search, and then return to Minas Tirith. I decided on my own that I would accompany them back to the city, then leave to search alone, relying on instinct to survive and luck to find my grandparents. I hadn't told anyone of my plan, and I made an effort to hide it until we were safely in Minas Tirith again. I had a feeling that Legolas and Gimli would leave once they saw that the Fellowship home and Durendain would not stay in the city long before he went on his way. If I made it back from my solo journey, I would visit the Shire to see the hobbits, and perhaps Edoras in Rohan to see Melraas if he and Bretaine had not married by then and lived together in Minas Tirith.

"Is something wrong Marielle?" Bretaine asked.

I looked up from the fire at her. "No, I was just thinking about some things."

"I know it will be hard for you to abandon the search, but we are running low on rations and will soon have to rely on Lembas bread."

"I know we have to leave. If we haven't found them by now we may never find them. I'm just upset that they could be alive somewhere and not be rescued."

Bretaine nodded. "I'm sorry. I have always been able to find some sort of trail...but once we hit the river their path disappeared."

"It's all right Bretaine." I placed a hand over hers. "It isn't your fault."

She smiled sadly. "Thank you. I feel terrible about this."

"Don't. If there was something to find, you would have found it. It's time to accept reality and go back."

We had only a few days left until we turned back. I had announced the decision to return to the group only two days before.

I left the fire and went to my tent to study the map. On my own map of Middle Earth I had drawn the path of our travels and shaded the areas we searched.

It was dark in the tent and the one candle I lit was not enough to see well, so I picked it up and held the candle closer to the map to look more closely, accidentally spilling wax onto the parchment and my hand. I quickly set the candle down and wiped the molten wax from my skin. I sighed in frustration and ran my hands through my hair while I waited for the wax to dry so I could scrape it off of the map.

As I picked the wax off, I heard the fabric of the tent being pushed aside and could tell it was Legolas since the footsteps were nearly inaudible. I didn't acknowledge him and he stood beside me in front of the map.

"You're frustrated." He said.

I nodded while staring at the curved line that represented the River Running.

"Why?"

I turned to face him. "What isn't there to be frustrated about? Nothing is going right. We have been searching for a long time and look how much ground we've covered." I gestured to the map and turned back to look at it. "They could be anywhere...how are we supposed to find them?"

Fingertips brushed the side of my face and I froze as Legolas pushed the hair that hung in front of my shoulders to rest behind my slightly pointed ear.

"I think you are forgetting how connected to them you are. You are their granddaughter, you can find them."

My scalp tingled and I took a deep breath before looking at him. "How?"

He smiled and my heart skipped a beat. "Concentrate on them. Imagine you could talk to them right now...what would they say to you?"

I shook my head. "I don't know."

"Close your eyes." He commanded, and pushed my hair behind my other ear. I closed my eyes and he continued, "You are part elf; your grandmother is Arwen. She is speaking to you; you only have to listen closely."

For a while, all I could hear was the noise from those who sat at the fire, the crickets outside, and Legolas' soft breathing. Then there was silence. The orange glow in my eyelids from the candle disappeared and was replaced by a white-blue light. I could visualize my grandmother's face, appearing younger and more like me. She smiled and my heart began to pound. I formed a question in my mind and she whispered, too quietly for me to hear. I squeezed my eyes shut to try and concentrate harder, but a hand touched my face to calm me. I relaxed and she spoke again. She whispered the name she used to call me, "harma," a Sindarin word that means treasure. I sighed contentedly; it had been too long since I had spoken to my grandmother. I asked her the question again. She spoke in her own tongue, and though I hardly knew what she said, I understood perfectly what she wanted to tell me.

I smiled and opened my eyes to see Legolas beaming at me. "What did she say?"

"She wants me to trust myself. She said I can find them as long as I follow my instinct."

"I have faith that you will find them; you are the granddaughter of Aragorn and Arwen. I see them in you."

I blushed and looked away, not quite sure how Legolas could suddenly cause me to react this way.

"Goodnight Marielle." He bowed before leaving and I watched him go.

To distract myself from these new emotions, I rolled up the map and put away all of my things to prepare for the next day of travel. I fell asleep before Bretaine retired to bed and was surprised when I woke up that I hadn't seen the pale face in any of my dreams.

That day, everyone seemed more eager than usual to get moving and searching, wanting to do everything they could to find my grandparents before we turned back for Minas Tirith.

I tried to put Legolas out of my mind, but I often found my thoughts wandering to him. If he hadn't helped me listen to my grandmother, I would still feel distraught and hopeless about the situation.

That night, when I was alone in my tent I tried to focus and hear my grandmother again, but this time nothing happened. The outside sounds crowded my mind and I never saw her. I wondered if being in Legolas' presence was the catalyst to the connection between my grandmother and myself.

The next day I decided on the direction we would travel, contradicting Bretaine's opinion. She was skeptical of my decision, but did not try to dissuade me. The longer we traveled in the direction I suggested, the more confident I became. Luckily we faced no more ambushes, and I knew that if I had faced any enemies, I would not have been merciful to them. I promised myself that I would not let anyone else die during the journey; the loss I felt was already too great.

Once we stopped traveling for the day and the camp was made, I kept myself occupied by learning how to make small animal traps under Legolas' instruction. We walked away from the camp in the fading light and he showed me how to find an ideal place to set a trap. He gave me many different trapping techniques for different situations, but I could tell he was growing suspicious of my motives.

"I think that everyone should try to gain wisdom in many things, but why do you suddenly have the desire to learn how to capture animals?" He stopped and turned toward me.

"I never know when I might need to use this skill...What if we run out of rations? It would be wise to have more than one of us skilled in hunting." I easily lied, knowing exactly when I would need to use the skill.

Legolas' eyebrows knitted together and he didn't seem to buy into my lie. "Then I suppose it might be useful to know some different types of plants and their uses."

I was surprised by his suggestion, but gladly accepted his help. He showed me which plants were safe to eat, and which were poisonous, along with the ones that could be used for different medicinal remedies.

We returned to the camp in time for dinner, and Legolas left Gimli to follow me to my tent. "I think I know your plan, Marielle. And I also think it is foolish to turn back now when we are finally on the right path."

"We have to turn back, there aren't enough rations to last us much longer, and we still have to make the return journey." I argued.

"Then send them back. I will stay and continue the search with you, and I know Gimli would stay as well."

"No, I have to return to Minas Tirith to deliver the news of Roryn's death to his family and his bride before I can clear my mind and fully concentrate on searching again."

For the first time, Legolas seemed frustrated with me. "You don't know how long Aragorn and Arwen have. They could easily be dead by the time you travel this far again…They need you now."

"I have to go back, Legolas, I made a promise to Roryn." His name caught in my throat and I fought back tears.

Legolas' expression saddened and he sighed. "If you could speak to your grandmother again, would it change your mind?"

I thought about it for a moment. If my grandmother could only tell me how close I was, and how much longer it would take to find her, I could continue knowing it wouldn't be too long before I returned to Minas Tirith. "Maybe, but I tried yesterday, and I couldn't do it."

"Try again." He commanded.

I knew what to do: I closed my eyes and tried to shut out all other noise. I tried to focus but all I could think of was my duty to Roryn and my anxiousness to keep my promise. The sound coming from the camp seemed to grow louder with my frustration. I hadn't noticed that I had been crying until Legolas wiped a tear from my cheek. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "I can't do it."

"You aren't focused; you are letting everything else get to you. What are you thinking about right now?" He asked and he held my face in both hands.

"Roryn." I admitted, but the longer Legolas' hands stayed in contact with my skin, the harder it was to think of anything else.

"I know what he meant to you, and I know his loss weighs heavily on your heart. It torments me to see you in such emotional pain, and I want to help you. But you have to try to move forward; this doesn't mean that you are forgetting him or your promise, but that you understand what is most important."

I couldn't speak, but just nodded in response. His proximity and unwavering gaze made it difficult to formulate an actual response.

"I want you to be happy again." He said sincerely, chasing the cold from my heart. "I care about you deeply, Marielle, and your happiness dictates my own."

My heart began to pound irregularly and Legolas kept his eyes locked on mine. I couldn't understand how I could be so important to him that my feelings affected his. In one movement he stepped closer to me and brought his lips to mine.

My eyes involuntarily closed and my knees almost gave out. He was tentative and he only lightly kissed me, but chills ran down my spine at the unfamiliar contact. He broke the kiss much too soon, making me sigh in frustration when he pulled away. I looked up at him and he seemed to be contemplating whether or not he should have done it. I got his decision when he kissed me again, his lips pressing against mine more confidently than before. His thumb caressed my jaw line and my skin tingled. I placed my hands on his chest and gripped the coarse material of his tunic to pull myself closer to him.

The sound of footsteps outside the tent alerted both of us to someone's presence and Legolas quickly stepped back from me.

Bretaine smiled at me when she stepped into the tent. "I think I'm going to retire for the night."

Legolas bowed to us and said, "Goodnight ladies."

Bretaine curtsied as he passed and I tried not to make it obvious that I was watching him.

"I think I'll sleep as well." I said and prepared for bed with Bretaine.

I found it hard to fall asleep; my mind was overflowing with thoughts. I _had_ to find my grandparents before I returned to Minas Tirith. That most likely meant that I would not be the one to deliver the news of Roryn's death to his family and Kalyn. The majority of my thoughts were centered on Legolas and I replayed his kiss over and over in my mind. I couldn't help but think that he now regretted it, and that he had been caught up in the moment when he kissed me. But I also reconsidered Tuck's original theory, and Bretaine's initial suspicions.

When day arrived I got up before anyone else, got dressed and took Moonstone out to scout alone. There was more of the same in the landscape, gentle hills covered in beautiful greenery. Moss grew on the rocks and the grass was healthy, decorated with small plants with tiny purple flowers at the ends. I rode quickly with the sun rising behind me, trying to replace my other emotions with adrenaline. For a while I forgot my worries and I felt free. Eventually I brought Moonstone to a trot and enjoyed the wind playfully lifting and tossing my hair.

With no warning, Moonstone reared up, almost throwing me. Once all four hooves were back on the ground she huffed and backed up a few paces. I leaned forward and stroked her nose, then tried to nudge her forward, but she wouldn't move. I dismounted and slowly walked forward to see what had spooked her. My eyes adjusted to the threat before me just before I stepped over the edge. Moonstone whinnied when I jumped back and I looked down into the huge crevasse.

A thin gorge ran across the valley, and it was too dark and deep to see the bottom. I hadn't been able to see it because the walls of rock were perfectly camouflaged with the same grass and plants that grew in the valley.

Part of the story my grandfather had told me that evaded me for so long jumped into my head. He had once told me of a giant crack that could swallow beasts whole because it was nearly invisible until you fell in. I searched the walls for some way down, and found a path that had been cut out of the rock, leading down into the darkness. I felt drawn to the depths, but I resisted descending the path and quickly mounted Moonstone again. I turned her around and galloped back to camp, my cloak flying in the wind, and my hair whipping around my face.

I practically jumped from Moonstone's saddle to the ground and ran straight for my tent. "Bretaine!"

When I pushed back the fabric of the tent she had sat up and was squinting at me with groggy eyes.

"What is it?"

"I know where my grandparents are, we have to go." I said.

She quickly got out of bed and dressed, and we left to wake everyone else. Legolas was waiting right outside of the tent, looking concerned. "What's happened?"

"I will explain everything once we are all gathered." I said and left him to go to the hobbits' tent.

Bretaine, Legolas, and I went around to the tents and woke everyone, then assembled them around the dying fire.

"I'm sorry to wake you all so soon, but we finally know where we must go. I was riding out not very long ago and I found a sort of canyon, which I almost fell into…I know my grandparents are down there."

Durendain was the first to respond. "You are sure that is where we will find them?"

I nodded and he turned to everyone else. "Then we must get the camp packed up as quickly as possible, we have no time to waste."

The camp was taken down and everyone was ready to leave in record time. I could feel the energy running through the group which allowed us to move more quickly than usual.

I led the short, fast-paced ride through the valley to the canyon. I slowed when we neared it and made the rest of the group stop while I dismounted and approached it on foot. It was easier to see this time, but the rest of the party watched me as if I had imagined the canyon. I gestured for Bretaine to come and look and I had to stop her from walking past me into the abyss

"My goodness! I would have ridden straight into that if I wasn't paying attention." She peeked over the edge and looked down.

"I nearly did." I said.

A few others dismounted and carefully looked down into the trench.

"How far does it go?" Tuck asked Legolas.

He shook his head in response. "I can't see the bottom."

Tuck's eyes widened and he took a few steps back.

"There is a path to our right that we can take down." I spoke.

Durendain was the first to come up with a plan. "The soldiers will stay above ground and set up camp. The rest of us will go down into the canyon to retrieve the King and Queen. We will take Lembas bread and water, as we have no idea how long we will have to carry our supplies. We will also need torches and blankets in case we are there until night. Take a bag and pack your own supplies, we descend in a quarter hour.**"**


	8. Chapter 8: THE DESCENT

I wasted no time and grabbed my bag from where it hung from Moonstone's saddle, stuffing a few blankets into it along with my portions of Lembas bread. I took two torches to carry and made sure my sword and cloak were secure. We tied our horses to a nearby tree and stashed everything else we wouldn't be taking in a pile.

Bretaine approached Tuck and me where we waited near the horses. "Do you have any idea what we will find down there?" She asked.

I shook my head. "I still can't remember the rest of the story...but we have to be extremely cautious."

"It is so dark down there…It's troubling."

"I know, luckily we have Legolas, he will be able to see much farther than we can."

Melraas joined our group. "Are we ready?"

We all nodded and joined the rest of the party near the top of the rock path. Durendain looked each of us over and nodded resolutely. "It's time."

We started to descend single file; Tuck was just in front of me, and Gimli behind, with Legolas behind him. We hugged the wall, keeping as far from the edge as possible. There was no noise but the sound of our feet shuffling down the rock. Gimli misstepped and sent loose rock clattering down the steep slope. We all halted for a moment and held our breath. The rock bounced for a while, and we waited for it to stop to judge how deep it was. It went on for an agonizingly long time until I could hear a faint crack when it hit the floor. We continued on in silence, and the path gradually began to widen. Eventually we could have walked two abreast but we remained in a single line.

Once the path widened more Gimli caught up to me and I asked, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

He chuckled and replied, "I always enjoy myself these days. It doesn't take much to get my blood pumping."

"I think the worst of it is over." I lied.

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that, lass. Places like this are always more dangerous than they seem."

I knew he was right from my grandfather's stories about the beasts he had faced underground.

"This reminds me of the Dimholt Pass when Aragorn, Legolas, and I went to summon the undead army to aid us."

"I'm sure she has heard that story many times, friend." Legolas cut in.

"That means nothing to me! She will hear it from me now."

I chuckled. "I don't mind, I love hearing your stories."

"He's jealous he isn't the one that gets to accompany you down." He nudged me with his elbow and winked at me.

My cheeks reddened and I watched my feet while I walked.

"Now, Dimholt's pass..." He described the story I had heard from my grandfather and Legolas already. As he spoke I thought of Legolas and his kiss. My face felt hot and I couldn't help but smile to myself. Legolas was wise enough to think his actions over before doing them, and I knew it was no accident that he kissed me. I rejected every theory I had about alternate motives he may have; Legolas was virtuous.

"Legolas and Marielle, I need your eyes up front." Durendain called back to us.

The group stopped and Gimli huffed. "You'll have to continue once we settle somewhere." I said as I passed him.

Legolas and I cautiously worked our way to our new spot in the lead. We didn't speak for most of the descent, but I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He was so graceful and princely, with perfection a human couldn't achieve. I wondered if I was graceful due to my elvish lineage, buy I felt clumsy and awkward near him, unable to be achieve his regality.

It darkened as we continued downwards, as the trail began to cut into the rock, providing a small overhang that blocked what sunlight could still penetrate the darkness. Two torches were lit, Legolas carried the one at the front, and Melraas carried the one in back.

We walked for what seemed like hours until Legolas saw something ahead. "Do you see that strange hole in the rock farther down?" He asked me.

I peered into the darkness and saw what he had referred to. What looked like a low, wide doorway was shaped out of the rock.

"Yes, do you think it leads to a cave?"

"Let's find out."

Once we approached it Legolas stooped to look inside. He stood back up and gestured to someone behind me. "Tuck, I need your help."

Tuck's eyes lit up and he quickly joined Legolas at the mouth of cave.

"Come with me." Legolas and Tuck ducked through the hole and I watched them. The roof of the cave was higher than its entrance, and it opened up into an oval-shaped area. There were some cave formations scattered around the cavern, and small tunnels and cracks in the walls. Once Legolas cleared the main room, he and Tuck checked every crack or tunnel that could lead somewhere else. With some of them, Tuck climbed in or shimmied his way through to see if they led anywhere. After they deemed the entire cavern safe, Legolas came back to the group and ushered us inside. It was dank and musty, and the damp formations glistened and sparkled in the firelight.

Gimli inhaled deeply before exhaling loudly and saying, "Reminds me of home."

"We should rest here for a few hours before continuing." Legolas addressed the group. "Tuck and I have checked everywhere so we should be safe."

"Some of the tunnels look like they lead somewhere, but they are collapsed at the ends, and the others are too small for anything dangerous to get through." Tuck said.

"Very well." Durendain said. "We will do as Legolas suggests. Judging by the darkness outside, we can't be too far from the bottom of this chasm."

Everyone settled in and I went back out to the path to test the depth. Legolas followed me and I dropped a stone into the darkness. Durendain was right, it took about a quarter of the time for the stone to hit the bottom than it did when Gimli had accidentally kicked one off.

"This is much too deep for my comfort." Legolas said.

"Isn't your home in Mirkwood underground?" I asked.

"Why do you think I always like to be out on adventures?" He laughed.

"Then why didn't you stay above ground with the soldiers? I'm sure everyone would have understood."

"I wanted to come." He smiled.

I looked away to conceal the reddening of my cheeks and Bretaine called me back inside. I sat with her near the back wall and she asked if any thing else had come to mind about what was below.

"Unfortunately, no." I sighed. Then the pale face that I had ignored for some time came back to my mind. "Wait, I might know what is down there."

Bretaine raised her eyebrows at me.

"In my dreams I have been seeing this haunting, white face with large, dark eyes. I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner. I can tell it would live underground, in the darkness."

"Well what is it?" Bretaine scooted closer to me.

"I don't know. It isn't anything I have ever seen before. It doesn't seem like it would be very strong or dangerous, but there is something very unsettling about it."

"Strange…Perhaps Durendain will know what it is."

Before Bretaine could call the wizard over, Legolas approached us. "Your description sounds a lot like Gollum, but he has been dead for four decades..."

"It could be like Gollum, one of the River Folk or a Hobbit that's been driven underground and adapted." I suggested.

Legolas nodded. "You're probably right. We should be extra alert; the eyesight of cave creatures is far superior to my own. They could watch us for hours without us having any idea of their presence."

Legolas returned to Gimli and Bretaine and I sat in silence for a while before she turned and looked at me sheepishly. "Would you mind if I braided your hair?"

I chuckled, "Of course I wouldn't."

"It's just that we haven't had much time for girlish things on this journey."

"I would love for you to braid my hair."

She smiled and sat behind me, then brushed my hair out with her fingers. When she pulled my hair back into one hand she gasped quietly. "I didn't know your ears had the elvish point."

"I always hid them as a child." It was my turn to be sheepish.

"Why? I think it's beautiful." I blushed and noticed that Legolas looked pleased.

She separated the hair into three sections and began to weave them. It felt nice to have someone play with my hair; it reminded me of home and my mother. I finally felt guilty for leaving my parents without consent; they would be worried for my safety and most likely angry at me. I wondered what it was like in Minas Tirith with the fellowship gone for so long, searching for the King and Queen.

When she was finished we didn't have to wait long until we were all ready to move again. We formed another two-by-two line, but this time Gimli and Tuck managed to take the spot behind us, and Bretaine joined Melraas in the back. Our pace was faster and eventually Legolas and I could see the bottom. I looked up and was amazed at how dark it could get when there was still light above. Legolas and I each took a torch and went down the ravine floor in separate directions with our weapons ready to make sure there was no immediate danger.

When we both returned to the group Durendain asked me which way we should go, and they waited in silence as I tried to concentrate. I felt pulled in the direction Legolas had gone, which was the same direction the path had been leading, so we traveled down the floor of the chasm, searching for a place to set up a small camp. Soon we came across a place along the wall where the rock jutted out, creating an overhang with a large space underneath. The majority of us began to feel fatigued and we agreed that it was most likely the best choice we had. Tuck and Droigo built a fire at the edge of the space so the smoke wouldn't linger in our sleeping area. Melraas volunteered for the first watch and the rest of us laid out our blankets. It was much colder at the bottom than it had been in the cave, and I was glad that I brought three blankets. I set my blanket close to Bretaine's and Tuck set up near my other side. My legs were tired from walking awkwardly downhill the entire journey and I easily fell asleep.

Droigo was the one to wake me for my shift, and I sat in front of the group near the fire. The darkness on either side was eerie, and I expected the pale face to come looming out at me.

I wasn't prepared for what I did see. A blue-white light started to grow in the dark from the direction we were to travel. I stood up and grabbed a torch, then touched it to the fire to light it. I drew my sword and slowly walked toward the source of light. It felt as though I was under a trance and I continued toward her without waking the group to come with me.

A blue dress and dark hair was visible and I stopped for a moment. A vision of my grandmother seemed to float an inch above the ground, beckoning me to come to her. I took a hesitant step forward and she smiled at me. I started to walk again, cautiously approaching her.

She floated backward, matching my speed as I tried to catch up to her. I walked quickly now, and the walls of the chasm began to narrow, creating a pass that she disappeared into. I held the torch up and saw that through the pass there were many tunnels leading away. One of them glowed with a white-blue light and I began to walk through.

"Marielle!" I heard Legolas calling from behind me but my grandmother was getting too far away. I began to run after her, following her through a labyrinth of tunnels and passages. I knew I could not find my way back out but it didn't matter, my grandmother was there. But why was she running away? I rounded another corner to find her standing in the tunnel facing me. I stopped advancing toward her; she was too young, like how she had appeared in my mind when she spoke to me in the tent. Was she a ghost? Or was there some sort of chemical in the cave that was making me see what was not there?

"Come, my harma." She behaved just like my grandmother had when I was young, always calling me her 'treasure' when she visited us. I recalled how I would run to her when she entered the house and she would kneel so she could kiss my cheek and hold me. Then my grandfather would appear and lift me into the air, kiss my forehead, and parade me around the dining hall on his shoulders until my mother made insisted I be put back on my feet.

The vision knelt and stretched her arms out to me. It was strange for her to do it now, since she hadn't greeted me that way in fifteen years. Once I grew taller she had no reason to kneel because I equaled her height.

I raised an eyebrow in doubt and she stood back up with her arms, mirroring my most recent memories of my grandmother. She mimicked my thoughts and I knew it could not be her. "What are you? You aren't my grandmother."

She became angry. "Of course I am. You have been searching for me for so long and now you deny me?"

I drew my sword and pointed it at the creature. "What are you?!"

Its face twisted into a sinister grin, and then it began to change. It grew taller and the blue gown morphed and reformed into a familiar, dark uniform. The facial features changed, becoming more masculine, and the hair shortened into deep red crop.

"Don't you know, Marielle?" Roryn asked mockingly.

I gasped and dropped my sword. "Roryn?" I knew it couldn't be him, but my heart ached and I wanted to embrace him.

"You were going to break your promise to me." He stepped closer.

"No...I couldn't go back." Tears formed at the corners of my eyes and I forced myself to realize it wasn't him. I quickly picked up my sword and pointed it at the creature's throat. It smirked and vanished, leaving me alone in the tunnel.

_"I'm not actually there."_ A voice spoke to me in my head. _"That would be too dangerous...Instead I am providing you with a guide. Who would you follow? Perhaps Tuck, or Bretaine?...Legolas?"_

"Where are you?" I asked, terrified.

_"I'm inside your head, but if you cooperate I will provide you with another guide to bring you here."_

"How can you make me see what isn't there?"

_"It's a gift I possess, like your talent with the sword."_

"Do you have my grandparents?" I asked.

_"Yes, I will even take you to them."_ A vision of a man who I had never before seen beckoned for me to follow.

I gripped my sword tighter and followed after him. My pulse sped and I tried to think over a plan to attack the creature once I finally saw it.

_"I'm in your head. That means I know everything you are thinking. An attack won't do you any good."_

I sheathed my sword in frustration, and the tunnel it had led me through opened into a large cavern.

_"I can make you see and feel whatever I like...I could walk you off a cliff but you wouldn't know it until you landed. I could be walking you straight into a fire at this very moment but you would remain ignorant until your skin began to blister."_

I stopped and looked around me. That was impossible, there was no way it could control my mind so effortlessly.

Suddenly an enormous inferno appeared before me and I jumped backwards to find myself completely surrounded by the flames. The fire lapped at my skin but I felt nothing.

_"Do you still doubt me?"_ The voice asked. Before I could answer, the fire disappeared and I was standing precariously on a column that reached into the air from the depths of an abyss. A giant bat descended from the blackness above and dove at me. I ducked to avoid its claws and nearly tumbled off the column. It dove again, and this time I couldn't keep my footing. I fell backwards and landed much sooner than expected; seemingly floating in the air above the abyss. Everything swirled around me and the cavern returned to normal.

_"I can make you see your darkest fear."_

My heart sank and I squeezed my eyes shut to avoid facing it, and a hissing near my ear made me flinch.

_"Or I can make you see what you desire most."_

I opened my eyes to blinding sunlight. I stood near the white tree with my grandparents, surrounded by the rest of my family and the fellowship. They all seemed to dissolve and the wind blew the dust away. Only Legolas remained and he strode toward me. He smiled brilliantly as he took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. My heart leapt, and, even though it was an illusion, I could feel his skin against mine. The warmth of his hands was tangible and it sent shivers down my spine. I felt like a fool for reacting to the illusion and Legolas leaned forward to kiss me. My eyes closed and his heat was gone. The coldness of the cave brushed my skin and I opened my eyes.

My guide stood before me and asked, "Do you doubt me?"

"No." I said bitterly, hoping the illusions would stop.

"Then keep your thoughts focused, it can be a little distracting to hear your useless strategies." He turned and led me through an arch to a tunnel lined with skulls. My stomach twisted and I wondered who the people were that met their fate in this horrible place. I focused again and paid attention to the turns we took, and I could easily have found my way back to the main cavern where I had seen all the illusions, which would not have been much help since I had no idea where to go from there. I hoped Legolas had gone back for Bretaine before trying to find me, he would have gotten lost if he went alone.

Another vision of Legolas appeared beside me, and he walked straight into a gorge that opened up. I gasped and halted, not knowing whether the gorge was actually real or not.

My guide faced me. "Please just pay attention." He said, "It gets very annoying when your mind wanders."

I continued to follow him. The tunnels turned into large hallways made of a rock that was tinted green by minerals, with symbols and runes carved into the walls. The last hallway opened to a giant cavern. At the end opposite me there was a giant structure that looked like a gate to a city.

The guide disappeared and I heard the creature in my mind. _"Welcome to my home."_


	9. Chapter 9: HOME

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I've been a crappy updater. This was a difficult chapter to write, and I rewrote it a few times. It's also twice as long... I want to thank my regular reviewers real quick: **Glory Bee** and ** .9**. All of your guys' support encourages me to continue, so please review and let me know what you like/think I need to work on.

And if you're a bit confused on the goblin/orc thing, this sheds a little light on their differences:

question/index?qid=20080823084126AAz7NmX

More reviews = quicker updates.

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I walked straight for the city, and the gate groaned as it opened toward me.

"It's a little dark down here, but I'll fix that."

Suddenly I could see the city behind the gate. It was carved out of the back wall of the cavern and it had the same green tint as the tunnels. I passed through the gate and there wasn't a creature in sight. The main street that I walked down was lined with small rock buildings, most likely shops or homes. I looked into a hole that served as a window and a flash of white passed behind it. It startled me and I turned back to the street. I continued until I came to a city square surrounded by larger buildings with a rock structure that looked like a sculpture in the center. The sculpture resembled a tall, humanoid creature with a crown on his head and a sword in his hand. I heard the scraping of rock on rock and turned to see the door of what looked to be some sort of meeting hall opening.

My heart raced as the creature with the pale face and large eyes advanced toward me. I backed up until the statue stopped me from retreating further.

"You didn't think I was just a part of your imagination, did you?" It asked as it stalked toward me, its voice oddly normal.

"What are you?"

It smirked and showed its teeth. There weren't many in its mouth and they were sharpened. "I can tell you what I used to be. Would you like to hear the story?"

I looked it over. Its bare torso was covered in pale skin that stretched tightly over its bones. It wore what might have been thick battle pants worn by warriors.

I shook my head. "I want to know where my grandparents are."

It shook its finger at me. "Don't be so hasty. You'll see them in time."

"So they're alive?" My heart lifted but I concealed my excitement.

"Of course they are." It shrugged. "I would gain nothing from killing them."

Two creatures like the one before me appeared at my sides. My hand reflexively went to my sword. "What do you want from me? Why have you taken my grandparents?"

The creature pursed its lips and nodded to the other two, who seized my arms and dragged me toward it. I struggled for a moment until it glared at me with its terrifying eyes.

"Would you kindly stop thinking of me as 'it'? You are a representative for all of the good races in Middle Earth. Demonstrate that you have some respect."

I clamped my mouth shut and stared at it-him pathetically.

He smiled in satisfaction and turned to go back into the building. The other two dragged me along after him, and I just caught a glimpse of more of the creatures gathering in the square before the doors shut behind me. The idea of a whole city filled with similar creatures was unsettling and I almost felt sick.

The inside of the room was dimly lit by an occasional torch on the wall. It had a high ceiling and was furnished with a rock slab that served as a table and stretched most of the room with shabby wooden chairs down either side of it. The rest of the cavern-like room was dull and undecorated; only the occasional twinkling of the minerals in the rock broke the monotony of the black cave wall.

One of the creatures relieved me of my sword before releasing me, and I stumbled forward, catching myself on the table.

"Have a seat, princess." He gestured to a chair that I doubted was strong enough to hold any weight.

I obeyed, wishing to be done with whatever he wanted to say so I could be reunited with my grandparents. I decided that even if I never escaped from the cave, being with my grandparents here would be better than returning home without them.

A round piece of metal that had been pounded into the shape of a plate was dropped on the table in front of me. There seemed to be some sort of fish and a sliced up root on it and I wrinkled my nose.

"You'd be wise to eat." He spoke as he took a seat across the table from me.

I could smell it then, and it was less than appetizing. The fish was pale white and soggy looking, and there was no utensil to eat it with.

"We stopped bothering with those a long time ago."

I plucked a slice of the root from the plate to nibble it. It was bland, except for the aftertaste of dirt, and I choked down a few pieces of it to please my captor.

"Is that all you will eat?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied flatly and folded my hands in my lap. Another one of the creatures stepped forward and removed the plate from in front of me.

"You may ask your questions now." He spoke after some time sitting in silence.

A hundred questions struggled for dominance in my mind, as I tried to decide which one to begin with. Curiosity nagged at me, and again I asked, "What are you?"

He chuckled. "My name is Caranthir. I am an elf."

My brow creased and I quickly lifted my gaze to his face. "But-"

"I did not always look like this." By his tone, I could tell his explanation would be lengthy. "We were once a proud elven race, revered for our power in Middle Earth. I was the king of our thriving city. We inhabited the plains above us, where most elves chose to inhabit the secluded safety of the forest. No one contended with our power, and we were content to remain isolated from the affairs of the rest of Middle Earth, though we did, however, have allies: Lord Elrond of Rivendell, and King Thranduil of Mirkwood. On a few occasions, my people came to their aid when they were in need of it, and they swore they would do the same for us.

"When the Dark Lord Sauron rose to power, our lands were overrun with the creatures that did his bidding, and their force was too much for us to take on alone. It was too late for our allies to come to our assistance, so we retreated into the chasm, to take refuge under the rock in the darkness. What communication we had with the two other Elven Kings, had told encouraged this, ensuring us that once the threat in the East had been subdued, they would bring us back up into the light, and help with the reconstruction of our city.

"Word never came, and I foolishly assumed that the war was still raging. My people remained underground for many years, we had to grow accustomed to the dark, and learn to survive on what food we could find here, since our own had run out, and the livestock did not fare well in such dark and damp conditions. We adapted, but this meant we could not return to the above world very easily, and once I, accompanied by two former soldiers, resurfaced, we found that the evil races had long gone from our land, and our city lay in desolate, crumbling ruins.

"Enraged, the only thing I could do for the time being was return to my city and care for my people. I realized that we were so devastatingly changed from the beautiful elven appearance that the good races of Middle Earth would look at us in disgust if we tried to return. It was the fault of the other kings: your great-grandfather, and the father of your beloved prince.

"We sent spies out to see if the other elf cities lay in ruins, the only thing that might have prevented our allies from returning for us, but they were thriving. We had been forgotten, left to waste away under the ground like slinking cave creatures. This is what we had become. As you can imagine, I was furious. I wished to dispatch an army to take revenge on those we once called allies, but so many years had passed, Sauron had risen to power once again, and the mortal races had long forgotten us. We were forced to wait, to bide our time until an opportunity arrived.

"When Sauron was defeated yet again, I took two soldiers with me above ground, to witness the crowning of the new King of Gondor. His wedding followed soon after, and I recognized his bride to be the daughter of Elrond, the one who had betrayed his word.

"I am a powerful elf, and as you have seen, I am able to enter the minds of others. I did this to the King, warning him that one day, my people would overrun his city to take back our role of power in Middle Earth by force.

"He was ever watchful, waiting anxiously for our arrival, while he continued to age, having children and grandchildren that would one day take his place. I remember the day he decided he could not wait and watch for me to carry out my plan. His first great-grandchild was born; I believe her name was Marian. He saw that he had too much to lose if my people succeeded. Like a fool, he believed he could persuade me to rethink my plan of action, and he and his wife set out to find and confront me. Of course, your grandmother knew everything about our people, and had even visited our lands before. They told no one where they were going, hoping that if all else failed, they could offer themselves as sacrifices to satisfy my need for revenge and I would not turn my wrath on their people.

"When they finally ventured down here, I told them that they had one year until they must return. Our deal was that I would kill them in return for leaving their city in peace. They quickly agreed to the terms, hoping to save their precious Kingdom of Gondor."

"Then why haven't you killed them?" My brow furrowed.

He smirked. "Because I do not wish to leave their city in peace."

My stomach twisted in knots. "So you are a liar?"

"I like to describe myself as diplomatic. I kept my word, did I not? I have not killed them. Having the two of them, and now their granddaughter, and soon, the son of Thranduil, I have enough leverage to easily take the city."

"Do you think my people will surrender in exchange that we are not harmed? They will not. My uncle would not hand over the city for just a few lives."

He frowned. "It is no matter; we will take the city anyway."

"How? You are all thin and weak."

"But we are numerous." His eyes glinted and a shudder ran down my spine. "Come, you shall see your grandparents now."

The breath caught in my throat and I stood after he did.

"Do I need to have the others escort you again, or will you behave?"

I sighed and he smiled in satisfaction before gesturing for me to follow. I paid little attention to where he led me, hoping that I would not see more of the mutated elves watching me in the darkness.

It was eerily quiet, and I couldn't be more relieved when we reached a darkened tunnel that seemed to be our destination. The sides of the tunnels were lined with crude metal bars to create a sort of dungeon. I searched the dark corners of the separate cells, finding only empty spaces until we approached the end of the tunnel.

In cells opposite each other, I saw familiar figures slumped against the walls. I ran to my grandfather's cell and pressed myself against the bars. It made my heart soar to see his face again. He looked older than he had when I last saw him, like the recent events had aged him more quickly.

"Grandfather!"

He lifted his head and a sad smile crossed his face. "Marielle."

"I'm so sorry, I should have stayed with the fellowship, but he got into my head."

He picked himself off of the hard floor and slowly made his ways to the bars. "Do not apologize. I am glad you are unharmed." Tears welled up in my eyes and he reached through the bars and took my face in his hands. "Marielle, this is not your fault."

"I was stupid. I thought I was seeing grandmother and I followed. Legolas tried to stop me but-"

"Legolas?" His eyes lit up. "If he is with your group, then we have nothing to fear."

"This way." The elf grabbed me by my arm and wrenched me away from the bars. He dragged me toward the opposite side of the tunnel and opened the gate to my grandmother's cell. She looked defeated and tired, but she held her arms open when I was shoved into the cell. I ran to her and buried by face in her chest.

"My little Marielle." She wrapped an arm around me and the other hand caressed my hair.

"I missed you both so much." I cried freely now, and the bars clanked shut.

We sank to our knees and my grandmother let me rest across her lap while she rubbed soothing circles into my back. "I am very proud of you."

The elf left without another word and I was glad I could be left alone with them. "I thought the worst had happened to you." Another thought crossed my mind and I lifted my head to look at her. "You two were planning on sacrificing yourselves?"

She sighed and her hand stilled on my back. "We had to."

"We could have fought." I sat up beside her. We could have assembled an army, and we would have won...And you didn't even say goodbye."

"I'm sorry, Marielle. You must understand why we couldn't...We would never have been able to leave."

"You're right." I wrapped my arm around her waist and buried my face in her shoulder. "I wouldn't have let you go."

She chuckled softly, a sound I had missed dearly. "Who has come with you?"

"Legolas and Gimli, Bretaine, a soldier from Rohan named Melraas, a wizard named Durendain, a few soldiers, and the twin sons of Frodo."

"Frodo? I thought-"

"So did I." I sighed. "But Samwise Gamgee was apparently the only one that knew of his children."

"Well, I suppose that's a good surprise."

My grandmother and I spoke for a while longer and she tried to comfort me. To distract myself, I described our quest to find them and what had happened along the way.

It was unsettling to have no idea what time it was. I had no idea how long I had been under ground, and my eyes began to droop.

"You must try to sleep, love." My grandmother noticed the way I could hardly keep my eyes open to look at her.

"What if something happens? I have to be alert." I tried to argue my case, but I knew I would fail.

"Nothing will happen yet, trust me. You are exhausted."

I looked at her through blurry eyes and forced a smile. "All right. You win, I will sleep...But only for a short while."

She dragged what looked like a very old woolen blanket over to her and patted her lap. I laid my head in her lap again and she draped the blanket over me.

Once I gave in and rested, sleep quickly overcame me. I was too mentally and physically exhausted to dream, but once I finally awoke, I knew I had slept much longer than I had intended to. I lifted my head and sat up, the blanket falling down to bunch around my waist. It was too dark to see anything, and I supposed Caranthir must have stopped altering my mind's perception of things. I reached out to touch my grandmother, and she was still there, asleep with her head resting against the cave wall. I could hear her breathing, and I wished I could see something; I felt so vulnerable. I stood and felt my way around the cell to get a good sense of where everything was, but there wasn't much of anything there. It was cold, so I took the blanket that my grandmother had draped over me, and wrapped it around her.

"Marielle, are you awake?" I heard my grandfather's voice, and the sound of him shuffling across the floor toward me.

"Yes." I moved to the bars to be closer to him.

"Does this fellowship you have told us about have a plan to defeat this fallen people?"

I sighed sadly. "I do not know. I have no idea if Legolas followed after me or if he turned back to wake the rest of the group first...But before I was led down here, we had no idea what we were walking in to. I fear they will be unprepared for the talent which Caranthir possesses."

"But they have Legolas and Gimli. I trust them with my life."

"So do I."

"And you said there was a wizard."

"Yes, but besides the three of them, there is: Melraas, a skilled warrior, though not as skilled as I; two hobbits, who I have been training, but are far from being able to handle a large battle; and Bretaine. She is a skilled tracker, but she is no warrior."

"These elves have grown weak in these caves. Their only strengths are their numbers, and Caranthir's power."

"Shouldn't that be enough? He could blind them all and finish them quickly."

"No." His tone was more excited now, and it confused me. "He may be powerful, but he cannot manipulate more than one mind at a time. Before you arrived, he had psychologically tortured me with illusion: visions of my children and grandchildren, and even my great-grandchild, where they were hurting, and there was nothing I could do to help them."

My heart sank and I wondered if I had been one of those visions.

"But it suddenly stopped. That was just a little while before you came here. And you told us of how he manipulated your mind to demonstrate his power. I imagine it would take a lot of focus to do something like that."

"I suppose you're right..." I thought over his theory. It felt strange to speak to my grandfather this way, like we were discussing strategies as soldiers instead of a king and his granddaughter. "But how will they overpower all of the creatures? There must be too many of them judging by the size of the city."

"They will figure something out." He sounded too hopeful to me. "For now, we have to think of a way out of here."

"How? We can't even see. And what if Caranthir decides to look into our minds again? He'll know everything."

"I think it's a risk we'll have to take." He sighed.

"What can we do to escape these cells?"

"I still don't know. I've been thinking hard about it ever since I knew Caranthir was no longer in my head. But the lack of light does not help."

I chuckled humorlessly.

"You should get some more sleep for now. It might take me some time to figure a way out."

"I've already slept...I want to stay awake with you."

"Marielle, you must rest if we are to be successful. You will need your strength for when we find your sword."

I sighed. "The two of you are acting too much like grandparents, telling me to get to bed like you used to when I was young."

He laughed. "I wish you were still that young. My second grandchild and first granddaughter."

I smiled though he wouldn't be able to see it.

"I remember when I first started your sword training. Now you're killing orcs and goblins and coming to rescue me."

"I thought it was about time for me to have my own adventures."

"Well, there will be plenty of adventures awaiting you when you wake." He said.

"All right, grandfather. I'll try to sleep if it will make you happy."

I could hear my grandfather laughing softly while I dragged myself back across the room to sit beside my grandmother. I adjusted the blanket so it covered us both, and tried to get comfortable on the hard cave floor.

It was nearly impossible to get comfortable, and I found myself awaking about every quarter hour to twist a different way or adjust the blanket. Without my sense of sight, I could hear nearly everything: the slow but constant dripping if cave water, the breathing of my grandparents, and the occasional noise of one of the elves outside of the tunnel. I was amazed that my grandparents hadn't gone insane because of the darkness, when I felt I might after only a short time in it.

Slowly, a strange noise began to grow louder and I ditched the blanket to stand and move to the end of the cell closest to the tunnel's mouth. My grandmother woke as well and I heard her approach me.

"Can you hear that?" I asked. "Your hearing is much better than mine."

She was quiet for a moment while she listened, and I heard my grandfather do the same, moving in his cell closer to the tunnel entrance. "What is it?" He asked.

"Someone has come." She said, and she sounded excited.

"Caranthir?" I asked.

A dim light was visible, approaching from somewhere outside the tunnel. "Rescue." She said.

"Already?" I was doubtful that help could arrive so soon with the mazelike tunnels they would have to navigate before they could reach the city.

The sound of rushed footsteps reached my ears and I knew someone was quickly approaching. The light was suddenly in the tunnel with us, and it hurt my eyes, which had grown accustomed to darkness. I squinted my eyes at the newcomers, who carried some sort of blue light with them, and I could just make out the wrinkled face of Durendain. The end of his staff was illuminated, and he chuckled. "There you are."

"You must be the wizard." My grandfather grinned.

"Indeed." Durendain gestured for the others to come forward, and Gimli marched up to my grandfather's cell door with axe in hand.

Legolas entered the tunnel, and after a moment of scanning the cells, his gaze rested on me. "Are you all right?" He approached me and reached through the bars to take my hands.

Gimli's used his axe to cut the chain that secured my grandfather's cell, and he moved to ours.

"I'm fine, Legolas. How were you able to find your way through?" My brow furrowed and he smiled.

"We have the best tracker in all of Middle Earth in our company."

"Legolas, my old friend!" Legolas turned and my grandfather gripped his shoulders with his large hands.

"Aragorn." They hugged each other and the chain to my own cell was broken.

My grandmother and I rushed out and I embraced Gimli, planting a kiss upon his cheek. My grandmother wrapped her arms around Gimli's other side and kissed his other cheek. "I never thought I would be so glad to see you."

The dwarf chuckled and we released him, only for my grandfather to wrap him in another hug.

"Lady Arwen." Legolas nodded to my grandmother and she smiled warmly at him.

They exchanged a short conversation in elvish before Legolas turned to me. "Marielle." He sighed, and the intensity in his stare made my heart race.

"We must go quickly." Durendain spoke up and my eyes snapped to him. "Tuck is retrieving your sword and will meet us before we fight our way out."

I was suddenly extremely worried; Tuck wasn't ready to fight anyone alone.

Legolas took my hand and we all ran from the tunnel where we were promptly greeted by Melraas, Bretaine, and Droigo. Much to my relief, they all seemed unharmed, and they quickly caught up to our pace. Durendain joined Melraas in the lead, quickly striking down any opposition we met in the tunnels. It wasn't long before we reached the square, and there were bodies strewn everywhere. My heart lifted when I turned to see Tuck approaching with his knife in one hand, and my sword in the other.

He grinned and handed Celebdin over to me. I sighed when I finally held it again, and we continued down the main street toward the gates. My stomach twisted in a knot when I saw the body of Caranthir on the way, but relief washed over me, dispelling the uncomfortable feeling.

Legolas' hand never left mine, and eventually, we passed through the stone gates and reached the tunnel maze. Bretaine had left a trail of Lembas crumbs for an easy return, and we navigated the passageways until we ended up on the chasm floor.

"Must we stop, or can we bear to continue on until we find the cavern where we rested before?" Durendain stressed the group.

"We shall press on." My grandfather answered. "Let us put as much distance between us and them as we can before we become fatigued."

"Very well then." Durendain nodded once and we all began to ascend the pathway.

Legolas and I fell into line near the back, and Melraas and Bretaine were the only ones behind us. He dropped my hand, seeming to only just realize he had been doing it.

"How long was I gone?" I asked quietly.

"Over half a day." He replied and my eyes widened.

"That long?"

He smiled gently. "Yes. You seem surprised."

"I could not keep track of the passing of time without the sun."

"You should not have left alone." He gently scolded me and I looked up at him sheepishly. "We could have gone together."

A thought crossed my mind. "But, we would never have found our way through."

"You're right. I suppose that creature did one thing to help us."

We eventually reached the cave we had spent some time in, and we set up camp to rest for a night's worth of sleep, though the true time was unknown. I slept beside my grandparents, and the three of us were exempt from having to take a shift for watch.

Once we awakened, we set out climbing again with renewed strength. The trip back up was much harder than the trip down, but we all pushed ourselves to reach the top as quickly as possible in hopes of getting out of the chasm and above ground. When we could finally see the light of day, our speed increased even though we were all exhausted. When my head was once again above the ground, I sighed in relief. The soldiers rushed over and escorted us back to the camp.

Durendain ordered them to take down the camp and prepare to leave while everyone else rested again. I sat with my grandparents, unwilling to leave them now that I had them back.

We ditched some of the equipment to free a horse to carry my grandparents, and we finally set off toward home. It was past midday and we didn't travel long before we had to stop and set up camp again, but it still felt reassuring to get away from the crevasse.

Legolas and Gimli gave up their tent to my grandparents, and I was extremely grateful.

I could hardly sleep, and I got up halfway through the night to sit before the fire. Legolas had volunteered to take watch for most of the night and I took a seat beside him.

"Thank you..." I stared into the fire. "For all you've done. I'm not sure we would have found them if you hadn't come with us."

"Why not?"

"Well, if you hadn't helped me communicate with my grandmother, I might have given up and turned back."

He smiled softly. "You are welcome."

"Do you think they'll come after us?"

"No. We have nothing to fear. Their leader was killed, and their numbers were greatly decreased. I think they realized how weak they truly were. They would be unable to overthrow Minas Tirith now."

"Good." I sighed and he took my hand in his.

"Marielle." He turned to face me.

"Yes?" I swallowed hard when his eyes bore into mine.

"When you went missing, I almost didn't know what to do. I nearly just ran after you, but I decided it would be wiser to wake the rest...But everything that's happened has made me realize how much I care for you."

My heart jumped when he said this, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "Legolas, I..." I lost my thought when his hand came up to my face and turned it toward his. I tried to form the words to articulate what I felt, but he leaned toward me and my eyes fluttered closed. He pressed his lips to mine and I nearly sighed.

He pulled back after a moment to look at me, and I slowly opened my eyes. "I care for you deeply."

"And I care for you, Legolas." I replied.

He smiled a heart stopping smile. "Go get some rest. You will need your strength for tomorrow's journey."

He kissed me once more and I returned the smile before doing as instructed.

It was easier to sleep after that, as pleasant thoughts of the future ran through my head. I no longer worried about the underground creatures; if this small group could so easily get past them, they would be no threat to my home. That once noble elf king had been deluded in his idea of conquering the White City.

In the morning we traveled more quickly than before. Our motive was to return the King and Queen to the kingdom as soon as possible, so there would be no more sadness and fear in Gondor.

We took the quickest route back, avoiding Mirkwood Forest altogether. Legolas and I spent many evenings together in conversation away from the group. Bretaine and Melraas' relationship was growing as well, and I had no doubt they would marry upon returning.

Tuck and Droigo were quite proud of their deeds in the caves, and they were sure their bravery could rival their father's.

I did not forget my promise to Roryn, and at times, the pain of his loss filled my mind. I was able to conceal it from the rest of them, but I thought Legolas might have been able to perceive it. I feared the reaction of Roryn's betrothed the most. Devastation. I knew that's what I would see. I often wondered how many children he would have had, and how many of them would have the same fiery mop of hair and determination of spirit as he had.

The day we rode onto the Pelennor Fields, was joyous indeed. Minas Tirith stood proudly against the mountain, the way it did in my memories to remind me what the whole quest was for. My emotions were extremely conflicting: pure joy and relief of returning, and utter depression at the knowledge that a woman would be waiting at the gates for her Roryn.

Horns sounded, and the great city gates were opened long before we reached the walls. The commotion in the city could be heard from miles off, and that brought a bit of cheer into my heart. My family would be made whole again; I would see NY parents again, who were no doubt sick with worry.

I gripped the reins tightly as we neared the gate. A mass of citizens had already spilled out onto the plains, eager to greet the heroes. My grandparents rode at the front as a sign of the Fellowship's victory. Bretaine and I rode just behind them, since we were nobility; Legolas, Gimli, and Durendain next; then sat the hobbits and Melraas; the rear was brought up by the soldiers, their faces solemn.

I faced forward, assuming the same expression as the still grieving soldiers, as our horses trotted straight through the gates.

The cheers and shouts from the crowd were ignored, and I searched the faces of those around me. My entire family was waving me over to them, some of them sobbing with joy at the return of my grandparents, but I had another priority.

A stable boy took a hold of Moonstone's reins, and I nodded to him as I dismounted. My mother tried to approach me, but I quickly made my way back through the procession to the soldiers who were dismounting.

They seemed to understand my intentions, and one of them nodded to a certain point in the crowd. I turned to see women rushing to greet their husbands and sons, but one stood alone, standing on her toes to try to find her own soldier that should have returned.

My heart instantly shattered. Kalyn would not find Roryn in the crowd.

I quickly located the extra scabbard that hung from one of the horse's saddles, and untied it from the horn. The sword felt fifty times heavier under the sorrow and stomach twisting guilt I felt.

I took a deep breath and started toward the woman. She was a little short, which made her shining golden hair seem longer. Her eyes were a piercing green, and the moment they locked on me, I felt as though I had turned to stone. My hand clenched around the strap of the scabbard and I forced myself to approach her.

Her eyes flicked down to what I was holding, and before I could reach her, she fell to her knees, one hand covering her mouth, and the other pressed to the ground to steady herself. A man with graying hair stood behind her, and placed a hand upon her back for comfort. I recognized him as the man my father had bought the silver brush from.

"Kalyn?" I asked, sinking to one knee before her.

Her eyes lifted to meet my gaze, and she choked out a sob.

"Princess Marielle." The man drew my attention. "We know what you have been tasked with. That is my son's sword. He has fallen."

I forced away the tears and nodded in response. "Roryn asked me to deliver the news. With his last words he assured me of how much he loved the both of you."

I offered the sword to the woman, and she reluctantly reached out to take it. She held it to her chest, and averted her eyes, no longer willing to look at me.

The both of them looked disgusted by me, and I rose to my feet. "I am deeply grieved for the loss of Roryn. He was my friend, and he will be missed."

The man nodded with a hard look in his eye, and I turned away. Legolas was stood behind me, and he took my hand in attempt to comfort me. "You have kept your promise."

I nodded sadly and he gently pulled me toward my parents.

"Marielle!" My mother crashed into me, and I felt as though she would squeeze my life force out of me. "I cannot tell you how worried we've been!" She cried into my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry I left you, mother. But it had to be done." I spoke into the mass of hair that nearly covered my face.

"You could have been killed!" She held me at arm's length to give me a serious look, but then she smiled. "But luckily, you weren't. I love you so much, dear."

My father then joined our hug, and Legolas left me to my reunion.

The rest of the reunions served to take the focus off of the grief left in my wake. My cousin was extremely relieved that I had returned, and insisted that I live in Minas Tirith from then on. Of course I agreed, and my parents decided it was the best place for us to be as a family, and decided to return as well.

There was a great feast, and even the hobbits could eat no more by the time we humans were full.

"Marielle!" Bretaine approached me in a corridor with Melraas in tow, twin grins upon their faces.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We are to be married in a week!"

"Are you?" I acted surprised. "I am extremely happy for you both!" I pulled them into a hug.

"My father approves." She beamed at me.

"I had no doubt he would." I smiled back. "I only hope I will be able to find the same happiness one day."

The day of the wedding quickly approached, and I had much to do with the planning of it. I had hardly any time to spend alone...or with Legolas. I found my attachment to him growing, and he assured me that the feeling was more than mutual.

The wedding took place in the courtyard of the White Tree, and my grandfather married my friends. Half of the crowd was of Rohan, and it was fitting for Bretaine to marry someone of her grandmother's kingdom.

A feast was held in their honor, and I was able to sit beside Legolas. We each toasted them, and Legolas and I recalled how instantly the two had connected when the Fellowship was formed in our speeches.

Even after the couple left, the merriment continued. Legolas and I snuck away to a balcony for privacy.

He leaned his elbows on the stone wall and looked down at the city. "I am glad the joyful spirit has returned to the city. When we first arrived from our travels, Gimli and I could not help but feel the sorrow of the people without their King and Queen."

I nodded and leaned against the wall beside him. "It is more like I member it was when I was a child. They love my grandparents."

"And they love you." He smiled warmly. "You brought them back."

"We all did." I corrected him.

"But ultimately it was your instinct that led us there. You are a special woman, Marielle."

I blushed and looked back toward the people celebrating inside.

He was quiet for a moment before his next words nearly stopped my heart. "Marry me."

"What?" I turned to face him.

"Marielle, I love you...Marry me." He took my hands in his. "Say yes or I will never know true happiness again." He chuckled.

I blinked at him before slowly nodding. "Yes, Legolas, I will marry you."

His arms wrapped around my waist, and I threw my arms over his shoulders.

"I love you." I said, words muffled by his shoulder.

He laughed mirthfully and I didn't care about the complications that would arise with his immortality, and my lack of it.

Time seemed to pass more quickly than natural until the day of the wedding arrived.

King Thranduil and Legolas' brothers journeyed from their home in Mirkwood to be present for the wedding.

It was the biggest celebration I had seen in my entire life, and nothing could compare to the utter bliss I felt.

Legolas and I were married. I had, by some miraculous fate, married the most perfect being I had ever met. I thought it impossible for any woman to ever be as happy as I was. Weeks passed this way, and I slowly became accustomed to being the wife of an elven prince. I was a princess, but I still felt unworthy of such magnificent husband.

One night, as I slept beside my husband, the door to our bedchamber was thrown open with a clang. That was strange. Wasn't our door made of wood? I quickly sat up, and had to shield my eyes from the light that entered the room.

"Legolas!" I turned to shake him awake, but he was not there.

"Marielle, you must come quickly!" Whoever was carrying the torch approached me.

I recognized the voice before my eyes could adjust to the man before me. "Melraas? What are you doing here?"

"Quickly!" He repeated.

"I-I don't understand." I stammered, and he dragged me from the bed.

The room seemed to melt into blackness, becoming colder, and then a light temporarily blinded me, turning everything white.

"We must go now! Before they come!" I felt myself lifted into someone's arms and I began to panic.

"Melraas." My eyes shut, and my head began to ache. "Where is Legolas? What is going on?"

"He is with Gimli, fighting off the creatures." He informed me.

I forced my eyes open and they slowly adjusted. Melraas was jogging with me in his arms. Ahead of us, Durendain carried my grandmother while my grandfather managed to keep up, running at his side.

"No, no, no." I whimpered.

The cells were behind us, and we weaved through the tunnels.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"No." I answered, fighting back tears. How could I be so foolish?

Now that I had been ripped from it, I could see how obviously imagined my life after the Fellowship had been.

"How long have I been down here?" I managed to choke out the question.

"Nearly three days." He answered solemnly.

"Oh, Valar." I closed my eyes again, accidentally allowing the tears to spill over my eyelids.

After arriving at the city, I couldn't pinpoint the exact moment my mind had been manipulated to make me believe we had already been rescued. But now I could tell the difference between reality and Caranthir's illusions.

My heart sank in my chest. How long had I believed I was married to Legolas? It still felt like I should run to him and let him hold me while I cried into his chest. But I couldn't. The only thing that had ever occurred between us was a kiss.

We reached the main cavern, where I could see the battle. The cave elves were weak, and unskilled in battle, and were easily slain by the rest.

"Can you stand?" Melraas asked.

I shakily nodded and he set me down. I had to use his arm to steady myself for a moment, but I assured him I was all right.

Legolas looked back at me, "Marielle! I found this on one of them." He tossed Celebdin to me and I caught it by the handle.

I nodded in appreciation before looking away to survey for any immediate threats. I didn't feel up to fighting; I just wanted to sit alone for a while and sort everything out, but I stood my ground, preparing for an attack.

After a while, we started moving as a group toward the city gates. Caranthir burst out of the doors of a building, his eyes crazed and wide. He was furious; he wanted revenge. A cut ran along his face, and he limped as he ran toward us. His eyes locked on me and he raised a spear to throw at me. I feared for my life, knowing he could easily make me move directly into the path of the weapon with one of his illusions.

An arrow sank deep into his chest and he fell to his knees, dropping the spear at his side. Once he fell over, eyes devoid of life, my head began to hurt less. It still throbbed from the pain the light caused my eyes, but I felt his presence in my mind disappear.

A hand found mine and dragged me away from the scene. I turned back to find my favorite hobbit towing me behind him. Tuck and I ran hand in hand along with the rest of the group until they reached the maze of tunnels. A white line that looked like someone had dragged a jagged rock along the floor led away into the darkness. Durendain naturally took the lead, holding his lighted staff out in front of the group to guide us.

Relief swept over me when we exited the tunnels out onto the chasm floor, removing a weight from my chest. A different weight seemed to take its place as I realized I would have to deliver the news of Roryn's death all over again.

I sobbed quietly, leaning forward, supporting myself with my hands on my knees while I took deep breaths.

My vision darkened and narrowed, and I could hear Tuck's faraway voice asking if I was well before I collapsed.


	10. Chapter 10: HOME PART 2

I opened my eyes to the far wall of the small cavern we had rested in during our initial descent.

"She will be fine." I heard my grandmother assure someone. "She has just been overwhelmed by everything that has passed."

"She has always been strong." My grandfather spoke.

I remained still, slowing my breathing before anyone could notice I was awake, and I tried to sleep. I had no desire to speak with anyone or act glad to be rescued. I almost wished I had been allowed to live in my fantasy forever.

The group quietly spoke to each other and I caught bits of their conversations, but I didn't want to hear about the battle and escape any longer.

There was no chance of more rest for me; I had already slept for days. It took everything I had to keep from breaking down in front of everyone. I wanted to curl up and cry in my grandmother's arms. The life I loved had been taken from me.

My eyes stung and I subtly turned my head to press my face into the makeshift pillow beneath my head, letting the tears soak into the coarse material.

Everything was gone. It had all been a beautiful, wonderful, perfect lie. My heart ached for what I lost, what I had so willingly accepted as truth and I wanted to remain in the cavern for the remainder of my years. I had not the strength to pick myself up and carry on while sorrow weighed my heart down, holding me in place. I wanted to send everyone away without me to return home.

But that could not be. I would drag myself off of the floor and paint on a smile. After all, we had won. I should be celebrating our victory in retrieving the king and queen and defeating the enemy along with the rest of the Fellowship. No one was badly injured, from what I gathered before fatigue had taken a hold of me, and we would have to report no more casualties.

But we had still lost one of our gro up. Roryn. I was suddenly terrified. How could I face that again? The heartache had been so real; I had stood before Roryn's father and betrothed, and delivered the news of his death. They had hated me. It was clear on their faces; they blamed me for not returning him safely to the city. What if that happened again? I did not think I could bear it.

"Marielle?" A soft voice broke me out of my thoughts. Bretaine's hand rested on my shoulder. "Are you awake?"

I quickly brought my hand up to rid my face of any lingering tears before I turned my head to look at her over my shoulder. "Yes, I'm sorry. I should have made ready to leave. You all must be eager to return."

She chuckled softly and rubbed my arm soothingly. "Do not worry. We are all content to rest for a while. We definitely need it."

I smiled weakly and sat myself up, bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. Someone had brushed my hair and pulled it back into a braid and I was grateful; before I lost consciousness, my hair had felt matted and heavy. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Droigo may have sprained his ankle, and Melraas has a shallow wound, but neither injury is too serious."

"Has Melraas' wound been properly cared for? I could help." I scanned the cavern for him but she placed her hand on my knee.

"He is well. All you must do is rest. I can only imagine what a toll that must have taken on you. Your grandfather described the creature's gifts."

My grandparents were currently seated with Gimli and Legolas, discussing something. My grandfather glanced over at me and smiled warmly. I feebly returned the smile before looking back to Bretaine.

"Something is troubling you deeply." She searched my eyes, and I hoped I could keep the unpleasant emotions from showing in them.

"I am perfectly fine. I am just weary."

She frowned and looked down at her hands. "Marielle, you can speak freely with me. I know that a lot must weigh on your mind after Roryn's death."

I nodded; glad to direct her attention to only half of my pain.

"You have not moved on."

"How can I have moved on so soon? I have not had enough time, and I will soon have to stand before his loved ones and deliver the terrifying truth. His death was partly my fault, and I should have protected him. I knew there was more risk for him with the injury he sustained to protect me, but I paid no attention."

"Please, Marielle, do not speak that way. No one is to blame for his death. He was completely aware of the risks involved in this journey; we all are...And we are all willing to die to ensure the success of the quest."

I opened my mouth to respond, but closed it again when I realized my argument was fruitless.

"Even you knew how dangerous it would be, did you not?"

I nodded.

"And you would have accepted your fate if it was you dying?"

I nodded again.

"Would you want us to blame ourselves for it? Roryn? Tuck? Legolas?" She craned her neck to look me in the eyes when mine had strayed to my hands. "Would you want Legolas to tear himself apart with grief and guilt?"

I lifted my eyes to hers. "No."

"Then show Roryn that you can accept that it was not your fault. Tuck and Droigo look up to you. You are their mentor. You must hold yourself up and carry on with dignity."

Bretaine was right; I could not let the guilt destroy me. Or at least I could not let it show.

Tuck seemed to finally notice that I was awake, and he grinned, picking himself up to bound -well, hop on one leg- over to me. I smiled encouragingly at him and he sat beside me.

"I'm going to check on Melraas," said Bretaine, and she left us alone.

"So, what happened to you?" His brow was furrowed and he looked up at me expectantly. "I mean, why did you faint? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," I chuckled and patted his hand. It was strange to me how he was older than I by nearly twenty years, but he still seemed like a child, someone I felt an urge to protect. "My grandmother was correct earlier when she said I was overwhelmed."

"Why were you overwhelmed? What did that creature do to you?"

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "He has a wicked ability that controlled my perception. I saw and felt many things that felt so completely real, yet they were merely illusions."

Tuck was silent for a moment while he considered this before timidly asking, "What did you see?"

I looked down at him, brow knitted, sifting through the already fogging memories to find something I could tell him. I could not tell him about Legolas, or Bretaine and Melraas.

"I'm sorry; you do not have to tell me." He looked down at his hands abashedly.

"It...It made me think, no, _believe_ that it was all over, that we had won and returned home. My illusory dream seemed to last for years, and when I woke up, it was just gone. Ev-everything that had happened...was not real." My voice quivered, but I made sure to speak too quietly for even Legolas to hear. "But, Tuck. You cannot tell anyone else what I have told you. I don't want to dampen the happiness. If they knew the truth, they would undoubtedly fret over and coddle me as if I was in danger of going mad. I am fine, Tuck, and I don't want anyone to be unnecessarily worried for me." I smiled convincingly to cover up my half-lie.

He nodded fervently, his eyes shining with unwavering loyalty. "But why did you tell me? You didn't have to."

"Because I trust you...And I needed to tell someone about it."

He smiled. "Well, I'm glad it was me, then. I'll keep your secret."

I saw Legolas turn his ear in our direction after Tuck's last, a little too loud statement.

Durendain, who had been previously absent, ducked into the cavern. "Oh good! Marielle, you are awake. I think we can move on now. What do you think, King Elessar?"

"I think it would be wise," said my grandfather as he stood. "As long as everyone is ready to travel up the path again."

"This will be the most difficult part of the return journey, since there is no rest point until we reach the surface," Legolas warned. He turned to me. "If you are not fully rested, we can wait-"

"I'm ready." I waved a hand to dismiss his worries and he nodded hesitantly. "Tuck, how will you climb? I can carry you on my back."

"Nonsense! I can walk." He stood and placed his fists on his hips. As if to prove him wrong, his left leg buckled beneath him and he had to throw his arms out to catch his balance.

"Who will take him?" Durendain asked, seeming to completely forget my offer.

"I already volunteered," I reminded him.

"I apologize, princess, but you are not yet recovered."

"Recovered from what? I am not so weak. My mind was tired, but I have rested long enough. I will carry him." I spoke with authority, and my birthright showed.

Durendain sighed and acquiesced. "You may carry Tuck. But if the burden becomes too much, you must tell someone."

I quickly accepted the terms.

"We leave as soon as everything is packed." With this final word from the wizard, everyone set to packing up camp.

It was not long before we formed two lines to begin the trek back up, and I helped Tuck out of the cavern to where his head would not smack on the ceiling when he was hoisted up.

Melraas lifted him up and placed him upon my shoulders, and Legolas took my pack before I could protest.

"Marielle, if you insist on carrying Tuck, then I insist on carrying just this."

"But, Legolas-" I tried to reach out for it but he held it out of my reach.

"Come now, Marielle, don't be stubborn." He chuckled. "This does not make you look weak."

I frowned. "Fine."

He smirked and pulled the pack on over his own. I couldn't stop the smile that tugged at my lips as he turned away.

Droigo chose to walk beside me, and my parents behind us. I wished Legolas and Gimli had taken a spot farther up in the line, but they walked just in front of us. I distracted myself from focusing on him by listening intently to the conversation between my family and the hobbits.

"Marielle tells us you are the sons of Frodo." My grandfather started.

Droigo's mouth stretched into a grin. "That's right!" He brandished his knife out in front of him in a mock fight and nearly poked Gimli in the behind. "Our father carried the ring into Mordor and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom!"

"Yes, we are well aware." My grandmother chuckled. "Frodo was a very brave hobbit."

"And Uncle Sam," Tuck added quietly.

"Droigo, put that away," I chided him. "I did not teach you to treat your weapon as a plaything."

"I'm sorry, Lady Marielle." He sheathed the knife back at his side and I nodded approvingly.

"Tell us more about yourselves," my grandfather insisted. "We were not aware Frodo had children until Marielle mentioned the two of you."

Droigo took a deep breath before launching into his tale.

The trip back up was a long one, and a little after halfway we stretched ourselves out to create a single file line. I never once shifted Tuck to someone else, even when his weight did begin to make my shoulders sore. I was sure there would be bruises shading my skin by the end of the day, but it was worth it, because the quiet hobbit provided me some comfort. His small hands rested on top of my head, and occasionally, he would idly toy with my hair to distract himself from the dull hike.

I spoke not to the others for the rest of the climb, trying to focus on keeping the fear and sorrow at bay until I was at least in the privacy of a tent once again. There was hardly any speaking apart from the one long conversation between my grandparents and the hobbits early on in the hike. The party was focused on making it above ground as soon as possible.

It began to grow lighter in the crevasse, and eventually, we could see the sky. It was wonderful sight indeed, as we had all been stuck underground for several days. It was a little past midday the moment our heads popped up above ground, and I could hear the cheers from the soldiers that stayed behind.

"We were beginning to think the worst," said Vaemyr, one of the soldiers, when I approached them.

"Yes, well, the worst nearly happened," I said as he lifted Tuck off of my shoulders and lowered him to the ground.

"And what happened to you, brave hobbit?"

"In the midst of a duel, I leaped from a fountain and landed badly on my right leg." He said it proudly, as if he had earned a battle scar.

"Bad luck." Vaemyr patted Tuck's shoulder. He turned back to me. "What happened down there?"

"A great deal." I sighed. "But I will share the story tonight around the campfire for everyone to hear."

He nodded and helped Tuck away to where his things had been left.

"Marielle." My heart clenched when that voice called my name and I turned to smile at Legolas as he approached. "How are you feeling? Why don't you sit now that we're here?"

"Legolas, please, I am fine," I sighed. I really didn't need anyone doting on me like a child. "I would rather stand."

He frowned. "I apologize."

My heart ached just looking at him. Moonstone whinnied loudly and shook her head. "Thank you for your concern, Legolas, but you need not worry." I hurried away from him and greeted Moonstone with a nice scratch behind her ears.

"And how are you, my beautiful girl?" She responded by nuzzling her face against my neck. I chuckled and ran a hand down her nose. "Did you miss me?"

She was the only thing around that did not remind me of the dream, and I spent a long while with her, brushing her coat and braiding her mane and tail. She was grateful for the attention, and I was grateful for the distraction.

I sat with my grandparents near the fire that night, and relayed my story to the group. I described the way I was led through the caves and tunnels by Caranthir and his illusions until I made it to the city. I repeated the story, to the best of my memory, of the tale of Caranthir's people. My grandmother and Legolas had remorseful looks upon their faces when I mentioned that the elves of Rivendell and Mirkwood failed to help them. When speaking about my time in the cell with my grandparents, I neglected to divulge the details of my dream.

I consciously avoided Legolas the rest of the night and during the entire journey the next day.

As we began the journey home, Tuck became my closest companion. He rode beside me, he sat and talked with me every night by the fire, he engaged me to continue his training, and sometimes he just sat quietly with me when I didn't have it in me to act jovial like the others. He provided me with the support I needed and a distraction from the melancholy thoughts that often dwelt in my mind. He never pressed me for further details or urged me to express what I was feeling, and for that, I was grateful. The others occasionally asked questions about the fine underground, and if Tuck knew the answer, he would cut in so I didn't have to speak about it.

There were two attacks on the journey home, and we disposed of the opposition with our usual celerity. But my usual vigor wasn't in it. I was just as efficient, but every attack was clean and emotionless. No heart.

The first attack had been from the remaining cave elves; only two days after we surfaced, but they were ill adjusted to the sunlight above ground, and posed no real threat.

I had not a care while I dispatched the elves from the land of the living. They had violated me, and I felt no remorse for killing them.

The second attack came from a rogue pack of Urukai at the southern edge of Mirkwood Forest. I had more mercy in killing them than I did with the elves. But I did not allow a single one to live. I now had my family back and nothing would harm them until they made it to the city. It was my duty to protect them, and I would uphold my responsibilities.

I didn't spend as much time with my grandparents as I thought I would. I knew they suspected something about what Caranthir made me see, but they did not speak to me about it.

I could tell Legolas was worried, but I had no desire to speak to him about anything. It didn't feel right. Nothing felt the same around him any longer.

"You're angry with me." I turned to see Legolas approaching from my side.

"What? Why would you think that?" I was polishing my sword and I set it aside as he sat in front of me.

"You haven't spoken to me much since you've been back. We used to converse by the fire at night and now you seem to be avoiding me...I enjoy your company, Marielle."

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I just...Recently-"

"Is it because I kissed you?"

My eyes widened and I looked down at my hands. "Look, Legolas..."

"If so, then I apologize. It was very impulsive of me."

"Legolas," I lifted my eyes to his, "I am not angry with you. I am not upset that you kissed me. You may have initiated it, but...I didn't exactly deny you, did I?"

He lifted a brow and the smallest of smiles touched his lips. But it was quickly gone. "Then something else weighs heavy on your mind. You think we cannot see that you are in pain, but it is obvious...At least it is to me...Something else happened down there, didn't it? Something you aren't telling us."

I didn't want to lie to him, but I couldn't tell him the whole truth. I nodded and he moved to sit beside me on the boulder I was situated on.

"Will you tell me?" The concerned look on his face made me want to just tell him everything and hope that he would stay to comfort me.

"I...Caranthir...He made me see things..." I shook my head, knowing the tears would start if I continued, and hating how weak I sounded and felt.

He took a hold of my hand and I took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I thought I went home...That we all went home. And everything was perfect. We were happy."

His thumb began rubbing circles into the back of my hand and I took comfort in the gesture.

"But none of it was real. I woke up and I was back in the cave. Three years of a perfect life is just gone and I'm back at the start."

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me against him. I turned and buried my face in his shoulder, glad for his support.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, then kissed the top of my head.

We stayed that way for a while, and luckily, we were out of sight of everyone else in the camp.

"Marielle, I cannot even tell you how worried I was when I saw you run off."

I was quiet, listening to his breathing.

"I felt so helpless. I ran after you but almost immediately lost you in that maze. Then I lost too much time going back for everyone else. I should have just kept looking for you."

"It's not your fault. I thought I saw my grandmother and I ignored you."

He sighed, tightening his arm around me. "Is there anything I can do to help you now?"

I finally sat back up and his arm fell from my shoulders. "I'm fine, really...But, thank you."

I smiled up at him and it felt normal. It felt normal to be in his arms and to talk with him for long periods of time.

He hesitated for a moment, staring down at me, before he looked up at the sky. "It's getting dark. We should return to camp before they begin to worry about us."

"You're right." We both stood and brushed ourselves, I retrieved Celebdin, and we made our way back to camp.

It was somewhat of a relief that Legolas knew part of the truth. I did feel guilty that he assumed I was angry with him.

The moment Tuck saw me; he began to approach with a grin stretched across his face. "Marielle! I was just looking for you!"

"Here I am. What do you need, my friend?"

"I just thought you might like some company...but apparently Legolas beat me to it."

Legolas and I chuckled and I ruffled Tuck's hair. "He did. But I would love it if you came with me to collect fuel for the fire."

"Of course!"

"Be careful," Legolas warned before we wandered off.

"Don't worry. Tuck will protect me." I grinned and waved to him before turning around.

Tuck and I silently collected dried out branches from the valley's shrubs for quite a while before I caught him smirking to himself.

"What is it?" I asked, readjusting the bundle of sticks in my arms.

He opened his mouth to respond, but thought better of it, closing his mouth and shaking his head.

"You must tell me! What are you laughing about?"

His expression became smug. "I was right."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "About what?"

"Legolas."

"What about Leg-" I suddenly remembered what Tuck had suggested that morning after I had stayed in the tent with Roryn. My cheeks reddened. "And what makes you think you're right?"

His smile widened. "I saw the two of you sitting together...And even if I hadn't, your face is red. It's quite obvious."

"Look, Tuck, Legolas and I..."

"Don't try to lie to me," he warned, wagging a finger.

"We're just-"

"Are you two in love?"

"No! Nothing like that. Where do you get ideas like this?"

"So you're not going to marry him when we return?"

I laughed. "No, Tuck. We are not going to get married...We've only ever kissed, and I-"

His eyebrows shot up and he stared at me.

"Don't look at me like that!" I tried to start the walk back to camp but he jumped in my path.

He grinned at me and I looked away to hide my bashful smile. "Do you love him, Marielle?"

I sighed and looked down at the ground. I chewed the inside of my cheek and kicked a stone around for a moment. I had loved him in my dream, but it all changed when I came back. I couldn't feel the same about him any longer. I undoubtedly had feelings for him, but I wasn't sure what his own sentiments were. "No. I don't love him."

"Hmm." He tapped his chin. "Does he love you?"

"I don't know...I don't think so." I shrugged and resumed walking.

Tuck turned to join me, a spring in his step. "I could find out."

"No! Don't breathe a word to anyone about what I've told you. We kissed weeks ago and nothing more has happened between us since then. Things have changed."

He nodded. "I understand."

Everyone was gathered around the fire that night. Spirits were high with less than a week left until we reached the great city of Minas Tirith. There would be many celebrations upon our return...but also a funeral for our fallen friend.

Sometimes it was hard not to dwell on that particular loss. I would have to be the bearer of the news to his family, so I rehearsed my words in my mind whenever I encountered a quiet moment.

Roryn fought honorably for the recovery of the King and Queen, and even took an arrow to his leg to protect me.

He died valiantly in battle. He was surrounded by the whole Fellowship as he made a last request that I deliver the news of his death.

He had a true, courageous heart, and he was a good friend to me.

He wished for me to express his love for all of you before he left us.

I am so sorry for your loss.

But I continually edited the script in my mind, trying to make it more respectful while conveying how honorable his death had been.

My grandfather beckoned me to sit beside him and I realized he had been telling stories of when I was still training with the sword. Most of the stories were humorous since I was a stubborn girl when I was young. By grandfather would try to teach me the correct technique to hold my weapon, but I decided I knew how to do it best. That ended in a self-inflicted injury and a severe wound to my pride. He would show me how to stand, but I would not listen, and one well-placed swing of my sparring partner's sword would send me tumbling sideways to the ground. Eventually I learned to trust the teachings of my grandfather, and I quickly became the best swordsman in the family.

I found that the dark cloud that had been recently hanging over me began to dissipate.

Once my grandfather had exhausted the slightly embarrassing stories about me, I shared the story of the first time I defeated him in a duel.

The whole group was highly amused by it and it felt good to participate in the story telling around the camp fire.

The journey through the Brown lands was quick, the hope of seeking our families on the horizon.

I was anxious to see my mother. To apologize for running off without a word. I knew she would be sick with worry for me, and I felt extremely guilty for it. My father would most likely be a bit more confident that I would return, but still worried nonetheless.

This was the longest amount of time I had ever been away from my family. I missed them.

At the beginning of the journey, I had been sure it would just be an adventure to make me feel like a hero like my grandfather, but now that it was nearly over, I knew how difficult and heartbreaking it really was. We were lucky that we only lost one member of our party.

The moment we see Minas Tirith peeking out from the White Mountains, we heard horns ring out from the city. My heart swelled with the view, then immediately dropped down to my stomach. Roryn's family would be awaiting his homecoming at the city gates.

I rode with the three remaining soldiers as we approached the city, grateful to know they were feeling the same way I did. I would need their support to face Roryn's father and Kalyn.

Children ran out onto the fields as they waited for our arrival, and once we slowed to a trot, they ran alongside us, waving and throwing flowers. They cheered when they saw my grandparents returning safely. My grandfather even hoisted a child up to ride with him into the city on his horse.

Just inside the city gates, I was amazed by the crowd that was gathered there. I immediately saw my parents standing beside Eldarion and Aragorn and his family, and smiled at them. Some people cheered while others wept tears of joy.

I dismounted my horse with the rest of the group, and stable boys led our horses away. Vaemyr approached me, and then laid a hand on my shoulder as he held out Roryn's sword to me.

I brought my gaze up to his once I had taken the sword. "Do you see his family anywhere?"

The soldier looked up at the crowd, where others in the Fellowship were already reuniting with loved ones, and searched their faces. He nodded once to my right and I turned to find them.

I recognized the aging man beside a younger woman. He was the man that my grandfather had bought the silver hair brush from. The two of them were searching the group for their beloved Roryn, and finding him nowhere.

I focused on Kalyn, the woman he had told me so much about. The woman he was so in love with, and so anxious to marry once he returned home.

She was not exceptionally beautiful, like my mind had invented for her, but pretty in a plain way. Her hair, a soft chestnut color, was braided and resting over her shoulder. Her eyes were a deep brown and framed by long, dark lashes.

She looked at me then, and smiled respectfully. But her eyes traveled to what I held in my hands and her mouth fell open. Her brow furrowed as she tried to understand what this meant, and after she scanned the faces of the group once more, she realized the truth. She looked back at me, and straightened her spine, standing up taller. Roryn's father had also come to understanding, and gripped Kalyn's shoulder for support.

I walked forward, respectfully holding the sword out with both hands as I presented it to them.

Tears rolled down both of their cheeks, but neither of them wailed or lamented the loss of Roryn. I took comfort in their strength; Roryn would have been proud.

Kalyn took the offered sword, and right then my words escaped me. Nothing I could say would make anything better, and they seemed to already understand how I felt.

Roryn's father placed a hand on my shoulder and I took an unsteady breath, my throat tightening as I began to cry. "I'm so sorry."

He shook by gently and smiled as best he could. "Thank you."

I smiled back through my tears and looked to Kalyn. "He loved you...He loved you so much. Both of you. He...he wanted me to tell you-"

"It's all right," Kalyn finally spoke. "We know." Her voice was gentle and reassuring, and her hand caressed my arm. "He was so honored to be able to participate in the quest to retrieve the King and Queen...And you were all successful, which means he gave his life for a noble reason."

I could do nothing but nod fervently in agreement as I tried to quiet myself. Anyone looking on wore an expression of pity.

I finally turned away once their hands fell away from me, and made my way back to my parents.

My mother held her arms open, as tears ran down her face. I picked up by speed and flung myself into her arms. They held me tightly while one of her hands caressed my hair. "Oh, my child, I am so very proud of you."

I shifted to look up at her, and after a shaky breath asked, "You are not angry?"

She smiled fondly and shook her head. "I knew I could not stop you from going. It is in your nature...But I am so relieved to have you back."

The reunions lasted for quite a while, and nearly every citizen managed to speak to at least one member of the Fellowship. By the time the carriages finally made it through the crowd to take us up to the top level of the city, I was exhausted. My family and I piled into one of them, and I rested against the side of my father, who stroked my hair. I quickly fell asleep on the ride, overwhelmed by the excitement and emotions of the day.

I awoke in the room I had stayed in for a night before leaving with the Fellowship. After sleeping on cots and cave floors, the bed felt so heavenly, I never wanted to move again. But I could see through the window that it was nearly dusk and dinner would be served soon. I dragged myself out from underneath the counterpane and into the bathroom.

I drew a bath and sat there for a good half an hour, enjoying the first proper bath I'd had in weeks. It took a lot of self-persuasion to get out and put on fresh clothes.

A violet, satin dress was laid out on the bed for me and I smiled.

The fabric was cool and comfortable on my skin. I quickly braided by hair and let it rest over my shoulder.

Soon after, a guard came to the door to announce dinner, and I leisurely strolled through the corridors toward the dining hall.

It felt strange to not fear for my safety any longer. I no longer had to carry Celebdin with me wherever I went. The food at dinner would be rich and plentiful, and nothing like the tasteless Lembas we had had to resort to toward the end of the journey. There would be something like a hundred people at the feast, nothing like the small, close-knit group I was used to at meal time.

The hall was teeming with guests conversing and servants carrying platters and pitchers back and forth.

I was immediately beckoned over to sit between my grandmother and Bretaine. Everyone in the Fellowship sat together at the end of the table with my grandparents, the rest of the royal family sat beyond them, and the other guests stretched to the far end of the table.

We ate and drank and shared stories late into the night. Everything was back as it should be.

I was home. And this time I knew it was real. I could feel the difference between reality and the dream.

Legolas caught my eye from across the table and lifted his goblet with a slight nod in my direction. I smiled and did the same.

* * *

A/N: Hey, guys! Well, this is awkward since it's been quite a while since my last update. But the school year is finally over! Bleh. I meant to give a shoutout to .9 in the last chapter, but somehow that got cut off. Oh well. Here it is now. Thanks for your reviews! they keep me going...even if I'm pretty slow. :/ But I will be replying to each of your reviews from now on, since that's what good authors do... So review it up!

Oh yeah, and you might be a bit confused, but I put this chapter up a bit too hastily yesterday so I took it down to make a few quick adjustments.

But I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. Things are kinda winding down in the action/adventure department, but if you need that to keep you interested, let me know and I'm sure I can figure out a way to work it in. All right, that's it for me!

Thanks for reading. :)


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